Changes
by elsawriter
Summary: -ABANDONED- BuffyHarry Potter crossover - post season 2 Buffy and post book 5 HP - In LA Buffy meets a stranger who invites her to come to Hogwarts to find herself again FINALLY UPDATED
1. Chapter 1

Hey this is a new fic I'm writing since I've kinda got a bit stale with 'The Last Battle.' Don't worry I will be updating that too, but I'm going to try out this one so let me know what you think. If you don't review I'm not going to continue!

I know this timeline has been done to death but I'm going to have a go at it anyway, see how it goes. It's set after Season 2 of Buffy, when she's run off to LA, and after Book 5 of Harry Potter. 

The title may change, it's only because I couldn't think of anything and Tupac – Changes was playing at the time and it fitted. 

Reviews please, coz I really love to read them!

**Chapter 1 **

The small blonde haired girl brushed away her tears carelessly as she stared blankly out of the window. The bus rolled on through the town, passing memories, and leaving them in its wake to watch it depart. Presently she closed her eyes, shutting them against the tears and the light and the pain. She wanted to be alone in her head, to shut out thinking and feeling, to push them so far away that maybe she could keep them at bay forever, and remain an empty shell. Sleep took her and she fell where her troubled mind released itself into her dreams.

"What'll it be?" Buffy said wearily, pen poised over her order pad. 

"I'll just have a coffee," the man sitting at the chipped Formica table said, closing his menu. Buffy nodded, and walked off the counter where she quickly and deftly filled a cup. Picking it up, she carried it over to the man's table where she set it down. The man pulled it towards him, and Buffy turned away, to serve the lady sitting at the next table.   
"Thanks Buffy," he murmured softly.   
Buffy froze in her tracks. Turning slowly, she surveyed the man sitting in front of her. He read the paper in front of him casually, not noticing her stare and absently-mindedly tugged at his grey beard. Buffy examined him, him apparently still oblivious, taking in his grey hair, wizened face and small spectacles. He looked up at her, and then jumped slightly as he noticed her staring at him.   
"What did you say?" Buffy demanded. 

"Thank you, I believe it was," the man answered, his silvery moustache lifting in a cautious smile.

"But a name, you said a name," Buffy stammered. The man looked at her curiously.

"Your name badge says 'Anne." he said, still smiling. "So I am guessing that is your name." Buffy scowled at him.   
"Look," she said, her voice rising in fury. "I heard you. Let's just cut the crap and you tell me who you are." The man removed his spectacles and began to polish them. The sight of this just angered Buffy more.

"I don't need this," she snapped. "Who sent you? Giles, was it Giles? Well you can tell him from me that I'm fine where I am, he couldn't help before, so why is he bothering now?"

"No one sent me, I assure you Miss Summers." The man said. "I came to see you as I have a proposition for you." The scowl on Buffy's face dissolved, to be replaced with a bemused look.   
"This is not a particularly good place to talk, let us go elsewhere." The man said standing and placing a crisp five dollar bill on the table. Buffy looked at him puzzled. Despite her better judgement, she was drawn to this man; there was something about him which was familiar yet still different. Wordlessly she took off her apron.   
"I'm going on my break Kathy," she called to the other waitress, and followed the man out of the café. 

They walked side by side along the street and Buffy noticed the strange cloak the man wore, it was richly embroidered and hung to his ankles, which were clad in leather boots. He walked quickly and she had to move her short legs quickly to keep up with him. Suddenly he stopped.   
"We'll try in here, I think," the man said, gesturing to a greasy bar in front of them. Buffy looked up at it. She honestly wouldn't have noticed it if he hadn't pointed it out, and she saw that the people walking down the busy street apparently didn't notice it either. She followed the man inside, where the interior was a big improvement on the exterior, furnished with many velvety armchairs. The man ordered drinks for them, and then brought them over to the small table which Buffy was seated around.  Buffy took a deep drink from her glass.   
"Buffy Summers," the man began. "I know who you are, that is why I am here. I have heard much about you, from a mutual friend of ours, Rupert Giles."

"I knew it," Buffy burst out furiously, "I knew you'd been sent to get me back. Well you can tell Giles that he's going to have to do better than this. I've got nothing to go back to." Buffy's voice caught in her throat and she took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself down.   
"On the contrary, Miss Summers, Rupert has no idea that I am here." The man said calmly. "I merely meant that Giles has told me a great deal about you." Buffy narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.

"Who are you?" she said. "You can tell me everything you know about me, that doesn't prove squat." The man chuckled.   
"I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." he said looking at her with his clear blue eyes. "And I have a proposition for you."

"Wait hold on a second," Buffy said, shaking her head. "Witchcraft and Wizardry? What is this?" 

"I have a school," Dumbledore explained, "Where pupils that show magical ability can come and learn."  
"Like Wiccan magic?" Buffy asked.   
"Not exactly, we use wands," Dumbledore said, and with this he produced his. He quickly transfigured his glass into a kitten, then back again. Buffy was taken aback. 

"Unfortunately I do not have much time," Dumbledore said. "Are you going to trust me?" Buffy looked from him to his wand, and then nodded slightly.

"I know what happened to you," the man said carefully. "I know why you are here, and why you feel you cannot return. Of course you cannot remain here."  
 "Why not?" Buffy said wearily. "I'm doing ok; I've got a job, and an apartment. I'll be ok."   
 "You are better than this," Dumbledore said quietly. "You are stronger than this.  I have a proposition for you." Buffy cocked her head.   
 "There is a boy at my school; he is sixteen years old and in grave danger. His name is Harry Potter." Dumbledore said slowly. "He is like no other boy; he has a prophecy to fulfil, in which only he can rid our world of the darkest Wizard ever living. I want you to come to my school, to Hogwarts, to act as protection for him."  
 "What's in it for me?" Buffy said, arching an eyebrow.   
 "A place that does not hold any pains of the past, where you can live and be what you are meant to be. Where you are taken care of, do not have to waste your power as a waitress." Dumbledore explained.   
 "What makes you think I am so unhappy here?" Buffy said, angry again as she was so often nowadays.  
 "You are falling apart and I cannot allow that to happen." Dumbledore murmured. "Los Angeles is not for you. You are a small girl in a dark city where the past haunts you." Buffy looked at him defiantly, as a tear snaked its way down her cheek. 

"You don't know anything about me," she whispered. "You couldn't understand."  
 "I can," Dumbledore said quietly. "That is why I want you to come with me. Please, Buffy, I can help you, let me help." Buffy looked at him for a long time, looking into his piercing blue eyes and then nodded.   
 "Okay," she muttered. "I'll come."


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Keep reviewing!

**Chapter 2**

Buffy followed Dumbledore out of the terminal at Heathrow Airport, lugging the duffel bag that held all the possessions she had taken to LA with her. It hit against her legs as she walked but she resolutely followed Dumbledore though the crowds. It had been a long flight, nine hours and Buffy had slept for nearly half. When she had been awake, she had talked to Dumbledore, asked him about Hogwarts and Harry Potter, the boy who she was to protect. What Dumbledore had told her had opened her eyes wide to a world she had never even heard about.   
 "Where are we going?" Buffy asked, hurrying forward to catch up with Dumbledore.

 "To London," Dumbledore answered, not slowing his pace. Buffy did not question him further, just concentrated on following him, as he made a path through the crowds. She had grown used to the fact that everything in the 'muggle' world as he called it fascinated him. During the entire flight he stayed awake, watching the muggle creations. 

Dumbledore and Buffy climbed onto a train from Heathrow, and after a short trip, arrived in Central London. Once again, Dumbledore walked through the crowds, Buffy trailing after him. He did not falter or stop and Buffy fought to keep up.   
After a short walk he stopped dead, and Buffy, not properly focusing, nearly walked into him.

"Why'd we stop?" she asked. Dumbledore gestured to a small dark pub in front of them, which Buffy felt she would not have noticed were it not for him pointing it out. Wordlessly they entered the pub.  
 "Professor Dumbledore, it's so good to see you!" the toothless man behind the bar exclaimed. He placed the glass he had been polishing down on the wooden bar. "Hogwarts business?" he asked, gesturing to Buffy. Dumbledore nodded and smiled briefly at him.   
"I'm afraid we can't stop, Tom," he said apologetically. "We've got some shopping to do, then we've got to get to Hogwarts, I've been gone three days already."

Tom nodded at them and waved goodbye, looking curiously at Buffy, as they departed into the back alley. Dumbledore tapped the bricks with his wand and the archway opened in front of them.

"This is Diagon Alley" he announced, as they walked down the cobbled streets. 

"Okay that was just weird," Buffy said breathlessly. "But shopping, which is definitely of the good." Dumbledore led Buffy towards Ollivanders, 'makers of fine wands' Buffy read. They entered the musty shop and a wizened grey haired man came forward.  
"Dumbledore, good to see you," he said. "It's been a long time. This must be Buffy." Buffy looked at Dumbledore inquisitively and he nudged her towards Mr. Ollivander. 

"I've heard much about you, the Slayer," the man said solemnly. "Powerful I should think. Try this one." Mr. Ollivander handed Buffy a wand.  
 "Phoenix tail feather and ash," he informed her, "Well, give it a wave!"

 She waved it, but nothing happened. Mr. Ollivander frowned.

 "Curious," he murmured. "I thought this might happen." He left them, retreating into the depths of the shop. Buffy looked back at Dumbledore again, but he just kept smiling resolutely. Eventually, Ollivander returned. 

"Try this, I made it a very long time ago," Mr. Ollivander said, handing a wand to Buffy. "Hair of a slayer, and willow, ten inches, very thick." 

Buffy took the wand and immediately felt an affinity with it. She waved it, and red sparks appeared that lit up the darkened room.   
"Well done!" Mr. Ollivander exclaimed. "I should've known that that wand would be suitable. Great power it holds, great power indeed." Buffy smiled weakly at him as Dumbledore paid and they left the shop.   
 "You will need some robes I think, and some potions equipment..." Dumbledore said thoughtfully.   
  "But Professor, I haven't got any money," Buffy stammered. "I can't afford any of this." Dumbledore smiled at her swiftly.   
 "The Watchers Council know you are here," he said. "Although we do not align ourselves with them normally, I felt it imperative that they have some idea of where you are and what you are up to. They know of our world, and have provided a kind of scholarship fund for you to attend Hogwarts."  
 "You must've done some fancy talking to get money out of them," Buffy grumbled. "They aren't my biggest fans."

 "The threat of Voldemort hangs over them also I believe," Dumbledore said, smiling again. "That gave them some incentive." Buffy grinned.

 "They must have a new slayer anyway; Kendra was killed, so maybe she can go to Sunnydale." Buffy said painfully. "Take my position…" Her voice faded out as she though of a new slayer taking over her watcher and her friends. Dumbledore smiled at her sympathetically and then held the door on Madam Malkins robes open for her. 

"Is that everything then?" Dumbledore asked an hour or so later. "Robes, wand, ingredients, books, potions."  He ticked them off on his fingers.   
 Weapons," Buffy said bluntly. "I have one stake, and a knife, I need some more if I am to protect myself properly." Dumbledore nodded and led her down Diagon Alley, to a darker, less open part. 

"Why do I need all this stuff anyway?" Buffy said curiously. "I mean I'm not going to be able to do magic like Harry Potter, if he's been at Hogwarts six years." 

"I'm afraid you are going to have to be undercover," Dumbledore said apologetically. "To everyone but Harry and his closest friends, you will be an exchange student that Harry has been asked to take care of. This will be good for you; a new environment should help you to regain your strength.

You are only a few months older than his fellow students and Harry and his friends will be able to help you in any magic you attempt. Mostly your job will be to protect Harry. You will be living in the girl's dormitories of course, and I have arranged for a secret training room to be set up for you."   
"So no ones going to know I'm the slayer?" Buffy said eyes strangely shiny. "I hid it from my mom for years, it shouldn't be too hard. Of course when she found out…" 

Once again Buffy fell silent. Dumbledore took the girls hand and squeezed it sympathetically. In the few days they had spent together, he had got to know this girl and to see that she held a lot of pain. He did not know exactly what had happened in her last days in Sunnydale, just that she had to kill her love and her mother had thrown her out. He was determined that he would be able to help her in that time she was at Hogwarts. 

Together they entered the weapons shop. Buffy looked wordlessly at the shelves full of weapons that were stocked.   
 "Wow," she said simply. Dumbledore smiled at her expression.  
"What do you need?" he asked gently. "I don't really know much about muggle combat, let alone Slayer combat. Get whatever you need; I assure you the Watchers Council have been very generous."

Buffy looked around the shop like a small child in a sweet shop and she began to select items off the shelves, then putting them back as she found improvements. Finally she was done, having picked out a medium sized crossbow, a double ended axe, a knife and a long shining sword. 

"These will do," Buffy said, admiringly the gilded handle of the sword. They paid and left the shop.  
 "That's it then," Dumbledore said. "We'd best get to Hogwarts."

 "Another train?" Buffy asked wearily. Dumbledore once again led the way down the street.   
 "Thankfully no," he said smiling, "We will be travelling by Floo this way."

 "Flu?" Buffy asked. "Like a cold? Huh?"

"No, no, Floo is a means of travelling through a fireplace." Dumbledore explained, chuckling slightly. "Here, take some powder from this jar and throw it into the fire, then step into the fire and say 'Hogwarts.'" He held out a small jar he had retrieved from his robes and Buffy took some, looking at him dubiously. She did as he asked, and on throwing the powder into the flames, they turned bright green. She stepped into the fire and said clearly 'Hogwarts!' She felt herself whirling away from Diagon Alley.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

Buffy landed hard on her feet and caught a chair in front of her to stop her from falling over, dropping her duffel bag and spilling her new packages all over the floor. She picked them up and brushed off her clothes and looked up to see a tall black haired woman with a stern face standing before her. She smiled at her, and the woman smiled back slightly.

"I am Professor McGonagall, I teach Transfiguration here at Hogwarts," she informed Buffy. "I am also head of Gryffindor house, Harry Potter's house."

"I'm Buffy Summers," Buffy said, extending a hand. Professor McGonagall shook it.   
 Behind her, Dumbledore came through the Hogwarts fireplace. He too brushed himself down, and then gestured for Buffy and Professor McGonagall to sit down in front of his desk, which he himself sat behind. Buffy looked around the circular room that was apparently Dumbledore's Office. It was night and the large windows took in spectacular lunar sight. The room itself was filled with a variety of gadgets which Buffy was itching to examine. Her eyes also fell on a grand sword that was inlaid with rubies.

"Welcome to Hogwarts Buffy," Dumbledore said. "I am hopeful that you will be happy here. I see you have already met Professor McGonagall. She and the other staff have been informed of your true identity, it was imperative if you are to attend classes with Harry Potter." Dumbledore stood up.

"I am sure that you are anxious to get to bed and get settled in but I would like for you to be sorted first." Dumbledore said, picking up a battered black hat from behind him. Buffy looked at him quizzically as he placed it on her head. A small voice sounded in her ear, making her jump.

"A slayer eh?" it said. "Well that's interesting. There's bravery, boundless bravery, and strength my goodness yes. Where to put you? Slytherin would be good, the power is rooted in darkness and you are cunning indeed. But the bravery and goodness outshines everything, I think GRYFFINDOR!" Professor McGonagall smiled at Buffy, and Dumbledore visibly relaxed. He removed the hat from her head.

"I had hoped it would be so, it would've been difficult if you weren't in the same house as Harry," Dumbledore said. "You best get to bed, you've had a very long day. Professor McGonagall will take you, and I will see you tomorrow." Buffy smiled at him, slightly shaky at leaving the only person she knew at the school.

She followed Professor McGonagall out of the office, and down the moving staircase. Buffy was led down countless stone hallways, making her realise just how big the castle actually was. She couldn't wait to properly explore it. Finally the two reached a portrait of a lady in a pink silk dress. She eyed them casually. Buffy just stared, thinking her eyes deceived her as she thought the painting had moved.   
"The password is 'kneazle'" Professor McGonagall said, and at that the portrait swung open. "Through the hole you will find the common room, and the staircase to the left leads to the girl's dormitories. On the top floor you will find your dormitory, where there will be a spare bed for you. One of Harry's two best friends, Hermione Granger knows who you are. She will help you with anything you need; she is a very sensible girl. At breakfast tomorrow you will be told what to do." Buffy nodded, feeling even more nervous. Professor McGonagall smiled at her again, and then left. Buffy climbed through the hole pulling her duffle bag behind her and juggling with all her packages. She landed in a circular room, filled with mismatched armchairs and sofas, and a large roaring fireplace. The room also held a few people. As Buffy entered the common room, conversations halted as they all turned to look at the stranger. Buffy smiled awkwardly, her face burning, and then quickly sped up the left staircase, and up the stairs away from the prying eyes. She climbed all the way to the top and then pushed open the door. A lone girl was in the room, sitting on her bed reading. She looked up when Buffy entered.   
"Buffy right?" she said, friendly. Buffy nodded and then smiled at her gratefully when she came forward to help with her bags.  
"I'm Hermione, Hermione Granger. Harry's my best friend, so they thought it would be a good idea to tell me about you." She said quickly. "The Slayer, it's fascinating really." Buffy put her duffle bag on the only unused bed and looked around at the room.  
 "This place is incredible," she exclaimed, "There's nothing like this in America." 

"We're lucky to be right at the top," Hermione informed her. "There are three of us in here already, four now you've come. The other two girls are nice, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. Of course they think you are just an exchange student."  
Buffy began to unpack the few muggle clothes she had, and her new Hogwarts robes and possessions.

"Are you in all Harry's lessons?" Buffy asked.  
 "No but I think Ron is, our other best friend." Hermione said. "We did our OWLs last year and now we are studying for our NEWTs so the amount of subjects we do is reduced to five at most." Buffy nodded.

"What's Harry like?" she asked curiously. "I mean I've heard about what he's done from Dumbledore, the 'Boy-who-lived' thing and how important he is and all, but what's he like?"

"He's really great." Hermione said honestly. "He's a bit unhappy at the moment, his Godfather was just killed, and he was the closest thing he had to a father. But he's a lot of fun, and a good friend." Buffy swallowed hard, she could relate to Harry's issues.

"I'm going to be honest with you," Hermione said carefully. "Harry isn't too thrilled that you are here. It's got nothing to do with you personally, but he is angry about being given a 'babysitter' as he calls it. Harry has a tendency to take his anger out on the people closest to him, so if he doesn't seem overly happy when he meets you, don't worry. Personally I'm thrilled that you're here," she added quickly. "I think it's a great idea, Harry is so important to the world and to his friends that we want all the protection he can have." Buffy nodded.  
"I can understand that," she said thoughtfully. "I'm just glad to be here, its doing me as much of a favour as I'm doing for you." She stopped talking when she saw Hermione's curious expression.  She looked away.  
"Let's just say I didn't leave Sunnydale in the best way," she said in a controlled voice and Hermione got the picture and didn't question her further. Hermione told her about Hogwarts, and Harry and Ron as she helped her to unpack. After half an hour, the door to the room burst open.  
 "Herm, did you see the new-" a girl exclaimed excitedly, but stopped as she saw Buffy. She turned red, as did the girl behind her. Hermione laughed.  
"Buffy, meet Lavender and Parvati. This is Buffy Summers; she's an exchange student from a wizarding school in America." Still blushing, the girls greeted Buffy. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 **

"Buffy," someone whispered in her ear. "Time to get up."

"Five more minutes," Buffy moaned, and then her eyes flew wide open, taking in the drapes that hung from her four poster bed and the rounded room. "What the-?" 

And then she remembered where she was. Hogwarts. Hermione looked down at her, still in her dressing gown.   
 "What time is it?" Buffy moaned weakly. "Seven?! Do you get up this early every day here?" Hermione grinned.

"Don't worry, breakfast is served at eight onwards normally and lessons start at nine, but Professor Dumbledore requested that we meet him in his office at quarter to, so you can meet Harry and Ron and he can give us our instructions." Buffy sighed with relief and dragged herself out of bed and went to the bathrooms. She took more care than she would have of her appearance as she knew that getting through to Harry wasn't going to be easy.  She tied up her hair, and put on her new Hogwarts robes, eyeing them with distaste, and then followed Hermione out of the dormitories. They followed a route through the castle that Buffy vaguely recognised as the opposite of where she had gone last night, though she was sure that she would never find her way around all the passages. 

They reached the gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's office and Hermione said the password ('Acid Pop') before leading Buffy up the moving staircase. Hermione knocked on the door, and Buffy swallowed nervously before following her in.   
 "Hermione, Buffy," Dumbledore greeted them jovially as they entered. "Good morning. Buffy, this is Harry potter, and Ron Weasley." He gestured to two boys already seated in the office. Buffy looked at them curiously, trying not to look as if she were staring. Ron was the taller of the two, with ginger hair and freckles, and a warm friendly face. Harry was slightly shorter, though still much taller than Buffy, and he had black hair and clear green eyes. Through his hair Buffy could see the faint outline of his scar.

"Harry, Ron, this is Buffy Summers." Dumbledore introduced her. Ron smiled at her openly, but Buffy noticed that Harry's smile was distinctly cooler. 

"Professor, are you sure that this is necessary?" Harry put in. "I can take care of myself, and besides she doesn't look like she's up to much. I could probably take her in a fight." Buffy raised her eyebrows.  
 "Hey, I'm standing right here," she exclaimed. "You're acting a little overly aren't you? I mean I'm here to protect you."

"I don't need someone to protect me," Harry said, narrowing his eyes. 

"Well it seems like you kinda do to me," Buffy said, also narrowing her eyes. "So deal with it."

"That's enough!" Dumbledore announced. "Harry we have discussed this, and you know how I feel on the matter, not to mention Moody and The Weasleys and Remus. Buffy will be with you in your classes and in break times. She may not look overly tall but I assure you she is a slayer and a very impressive one I might add." Harry glanced at Buffy.  
 "Fine," he sighed. "Look I'm sorry, I'm just not into this babysitting thing."

 "I understand," Buffy said with a swift smile. "But you haven't got much choice and neither do I, so let's just deal." Dumbledore looked at them, satisfied.  
 "Good," he said. "Now, no one is to know about Buffy being the slayer. If anyone asks, she is an American exchange student you are taking care of. She will attend all lessons with you, and you are to help her with the spells enough so it appears to your class mates that she is competent. Buffy hasn't performed any kind of spell before so it may be difficult, but the staff know who she is. Today, the four of you will not be attending any lessons, you have the day to get acquainted, and you can do as you choose. You can also show Buffy her training room, it is the third door on the left in the 5th floor corridor. The password is 'slayer.' Perhaps she may be able to convince you of her skills that way." Dumbledore smiled benignly at all of them, and Buffy, feeling reassured slightly, smiled back.  
"You may go for breakfast now," Dumbledore said. "I'd just like a quick word Buffy."

Hermione, Harry and Ron got up to leave.

"We'll wait for you downstairs Buffy," Hermione promised looking back at her.   
When they had left, Dumbledore looked at Buffy piercingly.  
 "I am going to write to Rupert," he informed her soberly. "I wondered if you would like to add anything to the letter." Buffy looked away for a moment and thought.  
"Not just yet," Buffy said, biting her lip. "Being at Hogwarts has sort of meant that I can put aside my Sunnydale crap. I don't know if I'm ready to deal with it just yet. Just tell him I'm fine and tell him to let my mom know." 

Dumbledore nodded.  
"When you are ready to contact anyone, you are welcome to use a school owl," Dumbledore offered. "Just tie your letter to the owl's leg and tell it who you want it to deliver to. Rupert has used owl mail before; he will know how to reply."

Buffy left the office, went down the staircase and sure enough Ron, Hermione and harry were waiting for her at the bottom. They all smiled at her, and then in an awkward silence walked towards the Great Hall.

 "So….um Buffy…what's it like being a slayer?" Ron asked.  
 It's cool, super strength and all, despite what my size might say," she answered, throwing a look at Harry and making him blush a little. "But it's rough sometimes too." Dumbledore had told them not to question Buffy too much about her past, so they feel silent again.

"What do you guys know about the Slayer gig anyways?" Buffy said.  
 "We learn about her in Defence Against the Dark Arts," Hermione answered. "The whole 'one girl in all the world' thing. We study vampires and demons too." They arrived at the Great Hall and Buffy followed the others again. Once again, silence fell as she entered the hall, people turning around, and even standing up to stare at her.

"Do you always have this effect on a room?" Harry asked, smirking. Buffy grinned.  
 "Don't really have much choice," she confessed. "Last night, I went into the common room, that was worse. I was all alone, jet lagged a shell and this room of people stared at me as if I had three heads or something." They took seats at the Gryffindor table and Buffy began to help herself to the food in front of her, not having had anything but plane food for a day. 

"It's the password," Ron explained. "No one knows the passwords for the common rooms of other houses so anyone new coming in is regarded as an enemy. Plus you don't look like a Hogwarts student." 

"It's the tan, I need to fade," Buffy said, still eating, "You English people are so pale. At least the uniforms aren't tweed though." They all looked at her in confusion.  
 "My Watcher Giles, well I don't know what he is now, but he's English," Buffy explained. "That's how I came here, he knows Dumbledore, told him about me and so Dumbledore came looking for me when he heard…um…..that I wasn't in Sunnydale anymore. Anyway Giles is typical Englishy, all tweedy and with the accent." They nodded, though they didn't quite follow.

The students in the hall, whose conversations had gradually stated up again, many of them with furtive glances at Buffy, began to leave the Hall, still throwing curious looks at her.  
 "What are we going to do with today then?" Buffy asked.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 **

After everyone had left the Great Hall, the group were free to talk freely.

"What are we going to do today then?" Buffy repeated. "I'm at your mercy; you guys know what's fun to do more than anyone." Harry, Ron and Hermione considered for a moment.  
 "We've got to give you a tour of Hogwarts," Hermione said reasonably. "And outside too. Dumbledore said we had to show you your training room so we can do that on the way."

"And you've got to try Quidditch!" Ron said eagerly. Buffy looked at him, nonplussed. 

"Pardon?" she said.  
 "You'll see soon enough." Harry said chuckling. "And maybe we can teach you some spells."   
 "Cool," Buffy said happily. "Let's go then!"

Ron, Harry and Hermione took Buffy on the tour of Hogwarts, showing her the various secret passage ways, the classrooms she would be attending with Harry and the moving staircases and doors which were littered throughout the school. On the way they talked, mostly Harry, Ron and Hermione telling them about their lives. Buffy learnt about Ron's family, each one of them, and all the challenges they had faced over the years. They also filled her in on the finer details of Voldemort and Harry's prophecy. Buffy was fascinated at their lives which were similar to hers in the way they were out of the ordinary, but still so different. She did notice how they consciously avoided the events of the end of their last school year and mostly any mention of Harry's godfather. Buffy had heard from Dumbledore that Harry had lost Sirius, but she didn't know any details about it. She was curious but knew from experience not to ask. She also noticed about how they carefully avoided asking her anything much about her life, which she was grateful for. 

  
 "This must be your training room," Hermione commented as they approached the door. She said the password and pushed it open and they all entered. Buffy was pleasantly surprised. The room was long, with huge windows along one wall with view across the grounds, including a big stadium which Buffy did not know the use of. In the room was a punching bag, a dummy, a variety of weights and the weapons she had bought in Diagon Alley, plus others that had been provided. A variety of gymnastics equipment had been provided in addition. There was also a large sofa, a shelf full of books on demon lore and a roaring fire. 

 "It's great!" Buffy exclaimed. "All I had in Sunnydale was the library and Giles'. But I haven't got anyone to practice with."  
 "Don't worry about that," Ron said with a grin, "We can help you." Buffy smiled at him gratefully.

"Thanks," she said. "But I don't know if you'll be able to keep up with me."   
"We won't need to," Hermione said, consulting a piece of parchment left on the table in the room. "Professor Dumbledore has given us a charm for that dummy. He said it will provide you with a 'sparring partner.' Let's try it." She looked up at Buffy who nodded.

"Mannequin mobilarbus," Hermione murmured, pointing her wand at the dummy.  The dummy jerked to life and Buffy stepped forward. It went to punch her, but she blocked it and punched it in the stomach. She then jumped into a roundhouse kick, and the dummy was knocked over. It got up quickly, and attempted to kick Buffy, which she again blocked. Then she kicked it against the back wall.  
 "Finite Incantum," Hermione said, stepping forward.   
 "That was bloody brilliant!" Ron exclaimed. "I've never seen anything like it."

"You were right," Harry said ruefully. "There's no way I could win a fight against you. That was incredible." Buffy grinned and brushed her hair back.  
 "All part of the slayer package," she said. 

They returned to the Great Hall for lunch, where Buffy once again attracted as many stares and whispers as before and then they headed into the grounds to spend the afternoon. First, Harry, Ron and Hermione took Buffy round the lake and showed her giant squid which repulsed her. Then they took her to visit Hagrid, but unfortunately he wasn't in his cabin.  
 "Let's go to the Quidditch Pitch!" Harry said, eyes shining. 

"Again, what's Quidditch?" Buffy asked bemusedly.   
 "Only the greatest game ever invented!" Ron said fervently. "Harry's Gryffindor Quidditch captain. Hey I wonder if you're as good at Quidditch as you are at fighting."  
 "If you are, we want you for the team," Harry declared. "We need all the help we can get. Each house team has seven players, and right now we've got me, Ron and Katie who can actually play. Since Fred and George left we've been without decent beaters, and now Angelina and Alicia have gone, we've only got one chaser."

"Ok slow down!" Buffy giggled. "What's with the cryptic?"

Harry laughed.  
 "I was like that when I came to Hogwarts, I didn't know what Quidditch was either," Harry admitted. They reached the pitch and Harry and Ron ran through the rules of the game to Buffy, who finally understood what they had been talking about. Hermione took her familiar place in the stands and began to read as usual. Harry, Ron and Buffy took school brooms from the broom shed, since Harry and Ron had left their own in their dormitory.   
They showed Buffy how to mount, and so she did and rose up into the air. "  
Woah!" she said. "This is something." She quickly got the hang on flying and rose higher and began to fly back and forwards across the pitch, getting faster every time. Hermione put down her book to watch them. Buffy got confident to race with Ron and Harry, and as Ron had predicted, Buffy was a very good flyer. Harry and Ron threw the quaffle for her and she caught it every time and passed it back to them deftly and accurately. 

"I'm going to have to ask Dumbledore if you're allowed to try out for them team," Harry informed Buffy.  
 "I hope so, flying is a big happy!" Buffy said, her face flushed from the cold air. She, Ron, Harry and Hermione headed back towards Hogwarts.   
"Let's go to the common room," Ron suggested. "We can try out some spells and everyone will be coming back from working all day!" Buffy shifted awkwardly. Hermione looked at her questioningly.  
"It's just, well, the Common Room gives me the wiggins," she confessed. "Well, people filled common room does. When I first got here I went in and everyone stared at me. And they still are and it's just kind of scary." She blushed.  
 Let's go to your training room then," Hermione offered and Buffy grinned apologetically. They spent the afternoon in the training room and Buffy mastered transfiguring a match into a needle and the levitation charm.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 **

 After the other students had finished their lessons, the bell rang for dinner and Harry, Ron, Hermione and Buffy went down to the Great Hall to have dinner, once again being greeted upon arrival by whispers and stares. The four sat down and waited for dinner. When the hall was filled, Professor Dumbledore stood up and clapped his hands, capturing the attention of all the students.

"You have all probably been wondering about our new addition to Hogwarts," he said loudly, looking around the Hal. "I have heard many rumours about who she is and I would like to lay them to rest. Her name is Buffy Summers and she is an exchange student from a magical school in America. She is not a member of the Ministry or a spy for Voldemort. She is just an ordinary student." He sat down and the tables filled with food. Conversations filled the Hall with noise.   
 "That should settle things then," Ron said, helping himself to mashed potatoes. "Now Dumbledore's said who you are, people are going to lose interest." Buffy grinned.  
 "I hope so," she said. "I'm sick of people looking at me like I have three heads. Its kinda freaksome." They finished their dinner, and then left the Hall.   
 "Want to go to the training room?" Harry said, looking at Buffy. She sighed.  
 "No, better go to the Common Room," she replied reluctantly. "Got to face people sometime." They reached the common room and all climbed through the portrait hole. About twenty Gryffindors were in there. They looked up and smiled in greeting, then went back to their work.  
 "Nifty," Buffy said happily. The four settled themselves on chairs and sofas in front of the fire.   
 "Wanna play some exploding snap?" Ron asked eagerly. Buffy looked at him quizzically then nodded.   
  
Much later, when they were getting ready for bed, Ron and Harry discussed Buffy.   
 "She's nicer than I thought she'd be," Harry admitted. "Maybe it won't be too bad having someone watching over me."

 "Plus she's really pretty!" Ron laughed. Harry grinned. 

The next morning, Buffy was able to sleep slightly later, then after getting dressed, she Ron, harry and Hermione went down to breakfast. Buffy munched on toast; while Hermione read the Daily Prophet and Harry read a short letter from Hagrid.  
 "He's invited us for tea this evening," Harry said, looking up. "You too Buffy. What does that say?" He gestured to the Daily Prophet. 

Oh nothing really," Hermione said, folding it up. "Finally acknowledging the return of Voldemort, frequently apologising to you and Dumbledore. But nothing about what the Ministry is doing, or what Voldemort is up to. I swear without the Order, there would be no hope."   
 "That little idiot Fudge," Harry fumed. "If he could have just accepted what we had said, then maybe it would all be over by now." The bell rang for first lessons, and hastily they grabbed their bags. Harry's first lesson was Transfiguration, which Ron and Hermione were both doing. He hadn't given up on being an Auror, and consequently was taking NEWTs in Transfiguration, Potions much to his disgust, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms and Herbology.   
They arrived at the Transfiguration a few seconds before Professor |McGonagall, and took seats near to the back of the classroom, where they decided it would be easiest for Buffy to pretend to be doing magic.  
 "Today we are going to be performing invertebrate to vertebrate transformations," Professor McGonagall announced. "Each come up and takes one of these jars with a worm in, and attempt to transfigure it into a kitten. You have the whole lesson." Buffy, Ron, Hermione and Harry all approached the front of the room and took a jar.  
"This is going to be really difficult," Ron said to Buffy "When you do invertebrate to vertebrate transfigurations, you have to form vertebrae and some times people don't do enough, so you get half a kitten or whatever."

"Got to be better than this worm though," Buffy said, examining it and wrinkling her nose. "Complete yuckfest." They took their worms back to their seats and tipped them onto the table. The three others began to attempt the transfiguration while Buffy just poked at the worm with her wand.  
After ten minutes of this, Professor McGonagall approached her.  
 "I know you haven't got any Transfiguration experience other than what Hermione may have shown you, so try and transfigure the worm into a toothpick," she said quietly. "It's still fairly difficult but not so much so as making it a vertebrate." Buffy nodded and Professor McGonagall swept away to another table. Buffy began to work hard at her Transfiguration and by the end of the lesson she had managed to achieve a toothpick. Likewise, Hermione had made a ginger kitten which she and Buffy played with. Harry and Ron had been slightly less successful: Ron had indeed made a kitten with not enough vertebrae so it couldn't use its back legs properly, and Harry had managed to form a kitten but it had no whiskers, tail or ears and so it looked very strange.  
Professor McGonagall came around the class with a basket, collecting up what people had achieved.  
She congratulated Hermione on a 'perfect Transfiguration!' then collected Harry and Ron's attempts.  
 "Not bad either of you," she said fairly. "Try to concentrate on forming a kitten as well as vertebrae, harry. And Ron, work on the forming of vertebrae itself." Then she turned to Buffy.  
 "Very impressive, Miss Summers," she said, with a rare smile. "Third or fourth year transfiguration at least." 

They left the classroom and headed down to the dungeons, while Harry told Buffy about Snape and what a nightmare his lessons were. They entered the dungeon, where several Slytherins, including Draco Malfoy were already seated, awaiting Snape. As they entered, Malfoy scowled.  
 "Why it's our new mudblood," he sneered at Buffy. "And an American too, even worse than Granger." Buffy stepped forward angry at hearing her new friends insulted, but Hermione grabbed her arm. 

"Don't mess with me, little boy," Buffy said quietly. Malfoy laughed and turned away.  
 "Wow when you said he was a jerk, you weren't kidding," Buffy said to Harry and Ron. "He'd better be careful. People like that really make me wish Slayer powers were for everyday use."

Harry opened his mouth to reply, but Professor Snape swept into the dungeon and began firing instructions at them for a sleeping potion they were to brew. Once again, Buffy felt like the odd one out, sitting with her cauldron and appropriate ingredients in front of her, as Harry, Ron and Hermione concentrated on their potion making, as it was a particularly difficult and precise one. Professor Snape beckoned Buffy over.  
 "Miss Summers, you will be unable to do anything like this, I d not expect you to be even at first year level," Snape said vindictively. "Personally, I do not think it worth while sending you to lessons, you are a muggle girl and will not be able to do magic at the same level as any of my other students. But Professor Dumbledore insists, so I will remind you not to cause any disturbance in my lessons, to just sit quietly and do not make a nuisance of yourself." 

Buffy was incensed at his patronising words, and stormed back to her seat. She looked up at the board which described the method and decided to try it. Carefully she measured out her ingredients and followed the method accurately. Ten minutes before the end of the lesson, Snape called for them to tidy away and so she and the other students did. Buffy was pleased; her potion was pale green, like Ron, Harry and Hermione's. She filled a flagon with it corked it and put it on Snapes desk. He tested the potions on a rat in a cage on his desk, feeding it the Potion, and waking it with another drop of his own potion. When he came to Buffy's he looked up at her with a sneer. He fed the rat a spoonful of it, and it dropped into a peaceful slumber. Buffy grinned and Snape slip curled in disgust.  
 "Not bad," he muttered. 

The four left the dungeon for lunch shortly after and Harry, Ron and Hermione all congratulated Buffy on her success.  
 "My best friend Willow is really good at science so it's kind of down to her," Buffy said modestly. She looked away, her eyes welling up as she thought of Willow and Xander, and Giles, and Cordelia and Oz. And then her mom, and then Angel. All the people that she had left behind her. The others fell respectfully silent for her to compose herself. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The afternoon passed quickly, Buffy attending Charms and Herbology, with Ron and Harry. Hermione didn't take Herbology anymore, she had chosen Arithmancy instead. Buffy enjoyed Herbology, though she had no knowledge of any of the plants they studied. Charms was okay too, she had spent the lesson talking to professor Flitwick about being a Slayer, while the class practised the disillusionment charm on one another. Evening came and they ate a large dinner, Buffy particularly exhausted after her first day of school. She had really enjoyed herself, it wasn't like High School, she didn't get any homework yet, and magic was cool. She actually found something she was halfway decent at, other than slaying. 

After they had finished dinner, they got up to go to Hagrid's Hut, but before they left Professor McGonagall came over to them.  
 "Miss Summers, Professor Dumbledore would like to see you in his office," she said, then disappeared from the hall. Buffy looked at them with a worried look on her face.  
 "You can't have done anything wrong," Hermione said, laughing. "Don't look so scared, he probably just wants to know how your day went." Buffy grinned.  
 "Force of habit," Buffy confessed. "My old principal at Sunnydale, Snyder, hated me with a passion. He hardly needed an excuse to chuck me out."

"You got expelled?" Ron said in awe. Buffy grinned.  
 "Twice actually," she said nonchalantly. "First time coz I burnt down the gym, which was full of vamps and the second was because of Snyder, they thought I'd attacked people and killed someone so he expelled me. I don't care; I never want to go back to Sunnydale High while he's there." Ron gazed her in admiration.  
"I'll meet you guys at Hagrid's," Buffy said quickly as they reached Dumbledore's office. "Don't bother to wait for me." They waved as Buffy said the password and travelled up to Dumbledore's Office.   
"So what do you think of Buffy, herm?" Ron asked eagerly as she disappeared behind the gargoyle.   
 "She's really nice," Hermione said sincerely. "When Dumbledore said it was going to be a seventeen year old Californian I thought she was going to be really stupid or really stuck up, but I was wrong. She is really great. Plus, its nice having a four with a girl, it's a bit difficult having two boys as best friends, now she can be on my side in the arguments!"   
 "She is really nice," Harry said. "It's going to be good having her around, she can beat up Malfoy for us!" They left the castle to go down to Hagrid's Hut.  

Buffy knocked on the office door, and then entered at Dumbledore's assent. She sat in a chair in front of his desk, while Dumbledore smiled at her benignly. 

"I have received a letter from Rupert Giles," Dumbledore informed her gently.   
 "You have?" Buffy gasped, not aware that she had stood up. Dumbledore looked at her piercingly and handed her the letter. Hands shaking, she read it.

  
_Dear Professor Dumbledore,  
Thank you for writing to me and letting us know that Buffy is safe. I'm glad she's at Hogwarts, I cannot think of a better place for her to recuperate and I trust that you are taking good care of her. I am glad she can help you, by taking care of Harry Potter. If there is anything we can do in Sunnydale, then don't hesitate to ask. Could you please pass on a message from all of us in Sunnydale. Tell her that we are all missing her very much, __Willow__ and Xander said to say that in particular, and we want to hear from her and see her whenever she is ready if she can just write to us. Tell her we are all well, and __Willow__ says that the new Slayer is no where near as great as she is. Lastly tell her that we love her loads, and that we are all thinking of her constantly, especially her mom.   
Thank you again,_

_  
Rupert Giles_

Buffy wiped away the tears that had fallen before looking at Dumbledore again.  
 "As I said, Buffy, you can write to them whenever you want, you can use Fawkes my phoenix, if you like, he delivers almost instantaneously." Dumbledore said seriously. "But only when you are ready. You are welcome to stay at Hogwarts for as long as you like, and while you are here, you have the freedom to do whatever you feel necessary." Buffy wiped away yet more tears that were steaming down her face and gave him a small smile.  
 "I think I want to write to them soon," she said. "And I need to write to my mom. When I left, we weren't on the best terms, in fact she told me not to come back. But it's good to hear that she still cares about me. Thank you for writing; I didn't have the courage to do it myself." Dumbledore looked at her, his heart going out to this girl who was so young, yet had so much weight on her shoulder, just like Harry. 

 "As I said, just come and see me when you are ready," Dumbledore said. "Now, how was your first day? I have had reports from your teachers, and all of them have said that they were impressed by your aptitude. Even professor Snape," he finished, his moustache twitching. Buffy smiled as she wiped away the last traces of her tears.  
 "I really had a good time," she admitted. "It was the most fun school has ever been. It wasn't like school at all. And I can actually do magic, which fills me with geeker joy." Professor Dumbledore smiled.  
 "I'm glad you are fitting in," he said. "And how are you getting on with the other students?"

 "Okay," said Buffy. "It's better now that they know I'm just a regular student, even though I'm not. I haven't really spoken to many others. Harry, Hermione and Ron are really great; they've been really nice to me. And Lavender and Parvati in my dormitory, they're nice too. But Dragon Malfoy, or whatever his name is, I don't like him. He makes me wanna go wild bunch on him." Dumbledore smiled indulgently.  
 I would appreciate it if you refrain from that," he said lightly, still smiling slightly. "Good. If you have any problems, come to me or Professor McGonagall. I think you will do very well here." Buffy got up to leave, and then turned back to him.   
 "Oh, I meant to ask," she said quickly. "Harry wants me to try out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Would that be okay for me to play?"

 "I see no reason why not," Dumbledore said. "You are, of course, just a regular Hogwarts student." Buffy grinned and waved goodbye as she left.

She ran down to Hagrid's Hut, relishing the feel of the cold air on her skin. Reaching the door, she knocked on it politely, and heard barking within. The door was thrown open and a huge black dog jumped on Buffy, throwing her backward off her feet and licking her face.  
 "Fang, Fang!" Buffy heard someone yell, and the dog was pulled off of her. She got up, wiping her wet face on her robes, and giggling.

 "I'm sorry," a huge man said apologetically. "He just gets like tha', excitable yeh know." Buffy was still giggling.  
 "No, its fine," she said, "It was kinda fun. I'm Buffy, by the way."

 "Hagrid," he said, offering a gigantic hand which Buffy shook. "Course I heard all bout yeh, from Dumbledore and these three. Come in, come in" Buffy followed him in, and saw Harry, Ron and Hermione with large cups of tea and untouched rock cakes in front of them.  
 "'Ave some tea," Hagrid said helpfully, pouring her a cup. Buffy immediately warmed to this man, he was friendly and she liked him straight away. She took the cup and sat next to the others.

"How 'ave yeh first days been then?" Hagrid said, settling down in his chair. Buffy told him about her lessons while Fang sat with his head in her lap, drooling on her robes.   
It was a really pleasant evening, sitting in the cabin, in front of the roaring fire and getting to know Hagrid, and Harry, Ron and Hermione better. As Buffy settled into her four poster bed that night, she felt that maybe, just maybe, she could be happy again somehow.   
  



	8. Chapter 8

Someone commented on how the letter said stuff like 'love her loads' and that this wasn't very Giles-like. Just wanted to address this: I had a mental picture of the Scoobies all crowded round Giles as he wrote and so I figured some of their language would've transferred into the letter.

I'm not sure when the Scoobies will be in this story. They will show up, but I doubt they will all come to Hogwarts, in my other story I got stuck in a huge amount of characters, I may just keep Hogwarts for Buffy.  
As for Faith, I think she's going to stay sane and take care of Sunnydale, I think the presence of Buffy, the better slayer with the loving family and friends is what pushed her over the edge. 

**Chapter 8 **

Buffy's fourth day at Hogwarts came, sunny, but icy and crisp. Buffy had a morning of Defence Against the Dark Arts, the only lesson of Harry's she hadn't been to yet. She had a breakfast of eggs and toast, while Hermione scanned the Daily Prophet once again for any news, of which there was none. The arrived at the classroom in time to get seats towards the back of the classroom and waited for their teacher.  
 "You should be thankful you weren't here last year," Hermione said quietly to Buffy. "After Fudge didn't believe Voldemort, he sent a Ministry Official to interfere at Hogwarts. She wouldn't let us do any magic and gave us about 50 new rules we had to follow. There was a centaur incident though, and erm…she's been bedridden since." Buffy laughed.  
 "Why do I have the feeling that you guys had something to do that," she said, and Hermione blushed. 

 "It's okay though this year," she said, shooting a furtive look at Buffy. "We've got our old teacher back, Professor Lupin. He went to school with Harry's dad and he's in the Order too. Plus he's a really good teacher." Buffy looked up as Professor Lupin entered the class. He gave the class a wan smile, and placed his bag on the desk.  
 "Good day class," he said politely. "I thought today we could look at studying Patronuses. I know that some of you have already attempted this charm, those who attended the DA meetings last year. Who can tell me what the Patronus charm is used for?" Buffy saw Hermione's hand shoot up, among a few others. Lupin nodded at Dean Thomas.  
 "To repel dementors," Dean answered, and Hermione put her hand down, disappointed. Buffy watched her in amusement.  
 "Good, five points to Gryffindor," Lupin said nodding. "How do we perform the Patronus charm?" Once again, Hermione's arm shot up. Lupin nodded to her.

 "The witch or wizard had to focus on a happy memory and then say the incantation 'Expecto Patronum' and the physical manifestation of the memory will protect you from the Dementor." Hermione said breathlessly. Lupin smiled again.  
 "Good, ten points," he said. "Now of course I am not going to be able to bring a Dementor into the castle, so we are just going to try to form a corporeal patronus, which is all you will need to do for your exam. Perhaps we can get some practice, though I'm not sure how, I will have to talk to Dumbledore. Let's start then." 

With that the class dissolved into small groups where they all tried to perform the charm. Buffy was with Ron, Hermione and Harry as usual. All of them conjured their patronuses first try and Buffy watched Harry's stag canter around him.   
  "They are so cute," Buffy said longingly. Harry looked at her.  
 "You want to try it?" he asked and Buffy nodded. "Okay so think of a really happy memory, the happier the better." Buffy thought for a moment, then fixed upon the night she had spent with Nagel. If she could block out what it had caused, it had been the best night of her life.   
 "Got it," she confirmed.   
"Ok, so fix on that memory and say 'expecto patronum'" Harry said. Buffy nodded, biting her lip, and then captured in her mind the happiness she had felt when she had been with Angel.   
"Expecto Patronum," she murmured and wisps of silver shot out the end of her wand.   
 "Hey, that was something!" she exclaimed. Harry nodded, and grinned. 

 "I think you need a happier memory," Harry said, "When you get the right one, it will just happen." Buffy nodded, realising that the memories that were connected with Angel were top painful for it to be that happy. She thought, and decided that the time with Willow and Xander and Giles was the happiest times she had. When they were together, the Scooby Gang. For a moment, a lump rose in her throat as she thought of how much she missed them, but she swallowed hard and raised her wand. Once again, she raised her wand, and fixated on her three best friends.   
 "Expecto Patronum," she said clearly, and a huge silver shape burst out the end of her wand. A silver panther padded around Buffy, sleek and beautiful but deadly, as shown by the fangs it displayed when it yawned. Gradually the silver smoke dispelled.  
 "Well done, Miss Summers!" Professor Lupin exclaimed, coming up behind Buffy. "I was just coming to tell you that you didn't need to do the charm, but I see that it wasn't necessary. Very good indeed." Buffy grinned happily, and Professor Lupin went to correct Seamus. 

 "That's really advanced magic," Harry said, surprised. "You must have a lot of power."   
 "I don't know," Buffy said shrugging. "Slayer stuff I guess. We're made of magic really."   
  
Later, that evening, Buffy sat alone at a desk in the Gryffindor common room. She had a blank piece of parchment in front of her, and a quill in her hand, which she was gradually getting used to using. She was trying to write to her friends, but every time she started, she hated what she had written and screwed up the parchment. Consequently, a growing pile of parchment balls lay on the floor next to her, which Ron and Harry were charming to fly at other students and hit them, anonymously. Finally Buffy just placed the tip of the quill on the page and scribbled out a letter. She read it, and decided that it would do. It read:

_Dear Giles, Wills, Xander, Oz and Cordelia,   
  
Hi guys, it's been a while. Professor Dumbledore showed me your letter and I decided it was time I wrote to you. I'm doing okay in __England__, Hogwarts is great and I've made three good friends. I needed this; I needed to be away from Sunnydale, to sort my head out and figure out what I'm going to do. But I'm missing you guys so much, I think about you all the time. I'm sorry I left you without saying anything, but I had to go, I had to get away from Sunnydale. I hope you are doing okay, remember that you are constantly in my thoughts. I know I will see you soon, when things are right.  
  
Love, Buffy_

_P.S Can you please tell my mom that I am doing okay, and that I miss her too_

Buffy folded the parchment. She felt she wasn't quite ready to write to her mom yet; the pain of what had transpired between them was too fresh for her.  
With a word to Harry, Ron and Hermione, Buffy left the common room, to go to Dumbledore's office. She knocked on the door, and Dumbledore called her in. Buffy pushed open the door, then stopped in the doorway at the sight of two strangers.  
 "Buffy," Dumbledore greeted her. "Come in. This is Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, and an old friend of mine, an Auror, Alastor Moody." Both men nodded their greeting to her, and Buffy nodded back. Cornelius Fudge eyed her warily.   
 "I'll be leaving then," he said importantly, placing his bowler hat on his head. "I'll be in touch Dumbledore." He nodded to Moody, glanced warily at Buffy again, and swept out of the office.   
 "Bungler," Moody muttered after he had gone. "Can you believe that man, after last year he still has the nerve to act like that?" He lounged in one of the chairs in Dumbledore's office. Buffy tried her best not to stare but it was difficult, the disfigured face and the spinning electric blue eye were too fascinating, not to mention the wooden leg.   
 "We shall see," Dumbledore said vaguely. He looked up at Buffy.   
 "I brought this letter, I thought you could send it to Giles," Buffy stammered. Moody sat up suddenly. 

 "This is the slayer?" he growled. Dumbledore nodded, and Moody stood up.   
 "I know Rupert Giles," Moody growled to Buffy, extending a gnarled hand to her. "Of course he talks bout you all the time, he was so proud when he got a slayer. Thought you'd be taller though." Buffy shook his hand, and smiled at him shyly.

 "Most people do," she admitted. "I can't believe Giles never spoke about the Wizarding world." Moody shrugged.   
 "Rupert was sworn to secrecy, we don't like muggles to know about us," he said, his blue eye spinning crazily. "There aren't too many wizards in America, especially round the hellmouth. I've never met a slayer before, how old are you?"

"Just seventeen," Buffy answered. 

"And what kind of numbers have you notched up?" Moody asked.  Buffy frowned and thought carefully. 

"Over a hundred vampires and probably about seventy demons," she said thoughtfully. Moody raised his scarred eyebrows.  
 "Impressive," he said. "I'd like to see you fight sometime." Buffy smiled graciously.   
 "You're welcome to, though I don't have anything to fight except the dummy, which doesn't put up much of a fight," she confessed.   
 "We'll have to find something for you to fight," Dumbledore said. "I don't want your condition to lessen." Buffy handed him the letter, which he gave to Fawkes who disappeared in a flurry of flame coloured feathers.   
  



	9. Chapter 9

Nelo – If you like Sirius being back, then read my other fic – Harry Potter and the Vampire Slayer. You might find someone in there that you like J

**Chapter 9 **

The following day passed without much event for Buffy and the others, they attended lessons, Buffy got to try more advanced magic, which she had a little trouble with, and in the evening, there was a practice for all the students who wanted to try out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. The old captain, Angelina had left last year, and the Gryffindor team was in serious need of a revamp. There was still one chaser, Katie, Harry, of course, as seeker and Ron as Keeper. Last year had seen the introduction of Kirke and Sloper as beaters which Harry wasn't sure about. He wanted to see people with a view for the beater positions and chaser positions so a group practice enabled him to see how well people flew. The actual tryouts were to be at the weekend. 

Together, they ran through basic scrimmages, where they played a variety of positions. Buffy found the flying exhilarating, especially at night when the pitch was lit up by the floodlights. She desperately wanted her own broom, as she had a desire to be a chaser on the team. Harry watched her fly, and he thought she would be in with a good chance, her reflexes were stunning. 

After the gruelling practice, Harry, Ron and Buffy trooped back to the common room, tired but still buoyed up by flying. They found Hermione dedicatedly doing her Arithmancy homework.  
 "Dumbledore gave me this to give to you," Hermione said, not looking up. She held out a letter to Buffy, which she eagerly grabbed. She quickly left the common room and headed to her training room, without a word to the others. She tore the letter open when she was seated on the sofa and hurriedly read the words.   
  
_Dear Buffy, _

_It's good to hear from you at last. I hope you are doing well at Hogwarts, I have heard a lot about it from many acquaintances. I want you to know that I don't blame you for leaving, I understand why you went. Things are well here, the new slayer, Faith is interesting to say the least. But she does her job.   
I know that we will see each other soon, one way or another. Until then, take care of yourself,_

_Giles_

_Buff,   
Hey it's us, __Willow__ and Xander! Giles said he was writing to you and we wanted to write too. Hope you're with the good in __England__ and that you aren't wearing tweed on a regular basis. We're missing you, but Giles told us about how you are taking care of that boy, being bodyguard Buffy. Sunnydale high just isn't the same without you, Snyder seems to be missing you, no one to pick on. He also said that sometime soon we will see you, so here's hoping._

_ Wills and Xand  XX _

_P.S Cordy and Oz say hi _

Buffy held the letter to her, tears pouring down her face. She missed them all so much, it was almost physical. They hadn't mentioned Angel, which she was glad but she felt like deep down some part of her wanted to talk about it. To let someone else know what she had suffered, what she had truly had to give up. She smoothed out the letter and read its words again, still crying.   
 "Um...…Buffy?" Harry said, pushing the door open nervously, looking terrified at the sight of a crying girl. "Are you okay?" Buffy nodded, eyes still filling and overflowing. 

"Was it bad news?" Harry asked awkwardly, coming over to her. Buffy shook her head, still crying.  
 "No, I just miss them so much," she sniffled. Harry awkwardly sat down next to her and patted her shoulder. Buffy leant against him. 

 "It was from your friends in Sunnydale?" Harry asked. Buffy nodded again.   
 "Willow and Xander and Giles," she murmured. "I want to see them, and my mom, but I can't go back there, I ju7st can't."   
 "Go back to Sunnydale?" Harry asked gently. "Why not?" Buffy sat up and wiped her eyes and sniffed loudly.   
 "Because of why I left," she said, not looking at him. "Because of what happened." 

 "What did happen?" Harry gently probed. "If you want to talk about it I mean." Buffy looked at him intensely. She trusted him, despite that she had only known him a short while, and she knew he would understand. 

So she began, and when she started, slowly at first, she couldn't stop the flow of words that came out of her mouth. She told him about becoming a slayer and meeting Giles, and Willow and Xander, and then Angel. And about how she found out about him being a vampire, but how he had a soul and came to be together. How he helped her fight, and loved her unconditionally, and how she loved him back, so much. And Harry listened. Finally, somewhat reluctant, but eager at the same time, Buffy told him about Angel losing his soul, and what he had done, to her and to her friends, how he had killed Miss Calendar and tortured Giles. And finally when they had fought.   
 "He was so fast," Buffy said hollowly, staring into the fire. "So quick and so vicious. Every move he made was to kill, he wanted to kill me. And the whole time I was screaming inside, but you're supposed to love me. And he did, deep down, with all his soul. But that was gone and it was just this shell, who walked and talked like Angel but wasn't. And then I was winning, he was in front of the Acathla and I was about to do it, to send him to Hell and save the world again, but then he was him again." 

Buffy stopped and wiped away the tears that streaked her face. 

"He was Angel, with his soul and when I looked into his eyes I saw everything which I knew he felt for me. He was like a child; he didn't know what was going on, just that I was there. And so I kissed him. And I said I loved him, which I did, so much. And then I stabbed him. And the look in his eyes, it was like I'd betrayed him. And I have, oh god I have," Buffy broke down entirely, and sobbed, her shoulders shaking. Harry hugged her close and she held on to him, like a small child.   
 "Buffy you saved the world," Harry said softly. "And you couldn't have done anything else. You didn't betray him; he would've wanted you to do it."

"But I love him so much," Buffy sobbed. "If I could have given my life, if I could've gone to Hell for him, I would have. But I couldn't, I couldn't save him. And now he's gone, and I won't ever see him, or be with him again. I won't kiss him, or touch him, or even look at him. And it's like I'm dying." Harry hugged her again, but the tears had faded, just traces left on her cheeks. She was beyond crying now.   
 "I lost everything that night. My mom disowned me, threw me out for being the Slayer. My friends were hurt, and it was my fault. It was all my fault. And I have nothing to show for it, not my friends, or my mom, or Angel. I can't go back, because I can't see that place." Harry looked at her carefully.

 "You have us now," he reminded her kindly. "But Buffy, you're going to have to go back sometime, you have to face the past. And when you do, you'll be strong, because that's who you are." Buffy looked at him, a defeated look in her eyes.   
 "Thanks," she said quietly. "I haven't told anyone about all of this, about Angle getting his soul back. But I think I needed to. And maybe, sometime I will return to Sunnydale. I don't know." Harry smiled at her reassuringly.   
"I understand you know, I've been there," he said. "I lost Sirius and he was the only family I had. And that was my fault. It still hurts, he didn't deserve that, he deserved to be still alive. I wish you could've met him, I think you would've got on well, he would've liked you. But it's not to be. I don't like it, but I accept it. I'm never going to forget him, or stop wishing that it was different."   
 "You really miss him don't you?" Buffy asked quietly.   
 "Yeah I do," said Harry simply, now it was his turn for his eyes to fill. "But we'll live through it, the both of us. Because we have to live, we have to fight another day. And who knows, maybe one day, we'll see them again." Buffy hugged him this time and their eyes met. Slowly, Harry leant down, and brushed Buffy's lips with a kiss. She looked up at him, and went to kiss him, but stopped, centimetres from his lips.  
 "I can't," she whispered. "We're just caught up in the moment. We're looking for something that we really don't want. She pulled out of his hug.   
 "I'm sorry," Harry apologised.    
 "No, it was me too," Buffy said quickly. "But I can't do this, I'm fragile and I'm no where near that place, and to be honest, I'm not sure I ever will be again."   
 "It's okay," Harry said with a swift smile. "I understand. I'm not him." Buffy bit her lip remorsefully, and nodded.   
 "If this had never happened, then I totally would." She assured him. "But I can't love anyone but him, not now, and maybe not ever. I gave myself to him, and I'm still his." Harry held out a hand and Buffy shook it, smiling slightly.   
"Friends," he agreed, pulling her up. Together, they returned to the Gryffindor Common Room. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 **

Buffy and Harry returned to the common room, to the questioning glances of Ron and Hermione, which they fobbed off with reassuring grins. Buffy left the others, after saying goodnight, and went up to her dormitory to go to bed. She was confused about her feelings, towards Harry, and towards her Sunnydale friends. She had been attracted to Harry for an instant, and that instant filled her with guilt and remorse. She wasn't interested in a relationship with him, she knew that, but she felt like she shouldn't even be looking at other guys, now Angel was gone. 

As for her friends, well Buffy knew she wanted to see them now, even if that meant going to Sunnydale. Her mind whirling with thoughts and feelings, it was a long time before sleep took her. 

The next morning, after breakfast, Buffy skipped charms, with Professor Flitwick's consent, and took two big steps, the first of which was writing to her mother. She sat down at the desk she had sat at before and thought before putting quill to parchment. Then she wrote:

_Dear Mom,_

_It's me Buffy. Guess you must've guessed that, due to the big bird delivering your letter. I wanted to write and let you know I'm doing okay. I'm in __England__, at a school, a school for magic actually. It's pretty fun here, and the headmaster is better than Snyder. I've made some friends too.   
I don't really know what to say. I know I left at a bad time, the worst possible time, but I had to go. You don't understand now, but I hope you will soon, this isn't something I chose to do, but it chose me. Being the slayer is about doing what is right, whatever the consequences may be for me. I'm sorry I hurt you, I'm sorry I left like that but I had to, for a lot of reasons I can't explain. Mostly I just want to say that I miss you, I think about you, and I hope we can come to a place where you can accept me.   
  
Love, Buffy xx_

Buffy folded the letter carefully and as an afterthought added a P.S:

_P.S If you want to know about what I do as a slayer, ask Giles.  
  
_Then Buffy left the common room, to go to Dumbledore's Office, where she would take her second big step. 

"Of course Fawkes will take this to your mother," Dumbledore said jovially. He tied the letter to the phoenix's leg. The phoenix let out one clear note of song, then disappeared.

Dumbledore looked up at Buffy, who stood twisting her fingers.  
 "Miss Summers, was there something else you wanted to ask?" Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye. Buffy nodded sheepishly.

 "I was thinking," She began, "I mean if it's okay with you and everything…and if my mom replies and stuff….well that maybe I could go to Sunnydale for a visit?" The words spilled out of Buffy's mouth, and then she fell silent.

 "Certainly," Dumbledore said immediately. "I had expected as much. Of course you want to see your friends. I will accompany you myself. I would quite like to see Rupert." Buffy smiled gratefully. 

 "I only want to go for a visit," she explained. "I'm doing well here, there's too much for me in Sunnydale to cling to. Plus I really want to help you out with the Voldemort thing, since you've helped me so much. But I have to see my friends; I have to get some kind of closure."

"Indeed," said Dumbledore thoughtfully. "We can go as soon as you like."

"I think I want to wait to hear from my mom," Buffy said thoughtfully. "But don't we have to book flights or something?"

"I think a portkey should suffice," Dumbledore replied. "It's a kind of…. teleporter, I think muggles call it."   
 "Nifty," Buffy said happily. She turned to leave.  
 "Buffy," Dumbledore called, and she turned back. "Don't feel obliged to stay here. If on returning to Sunnydale, you want to remain there, don't fell you have some debt to pay. That said, there will always be a place for you at Hogwarts as long as you desire it." Buffy nodded graciously and left the office. 

Walking down the hall, she grinned happily; surprising herself by how happy she was to be going to see her friends and mom. She was so caught up in her own thoughts, she nearly ran into three students coming the opposite way.   
 "Watch where you're going, mudblood." Draco Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, snarled as he nearly tripped moving out of Buffy's way. 

 "Huh what was that?" Buffy said vaguely, caught up in thinking about taking back presents for the scoobies. Draco Malfoy pulled out his wand, which brought her back down to earth.   
 "Bet a little American Mudblood like you hasn't got a clue how to block a curse," he sneered at her, raising his wand. Buffy did not hear his words as she leapt into a roll, dodging the curse.   
 "I told you not to mess with me," Buffy murmured. She stepped forward and pushed Draco against the wall, causing him to drop his wand in the process. He struggled but she held him by the throat, not choking him, but making breathing a little difficult and keeping him where she held him.   
 "You know nothing about me," Buffy breathed. "So you better watch your back." She let go on him, threw contemptuous looks at Crabbe and Goyle who had stood there gormlessly the entire time, and then carried on walking down the corridor, humming a little tune as she went. 

"What's got you so happy?" Hermione asked Buffy, as she showed up in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Buffy smiled to herself.   
 "Oh, nothing really, had a little run in with Malfoy," Buffy said breezily. Ron's head snapped up.   
 "What happened?" he asked quickly. Buffy kept smiling.   
 "He called me a 'mudblood' again," she said casually. "And he tried to curse me. So I taught him a lesson." Ron grinned, even wider than Buffy.   
 "Shame I missed it," he said happily. Buffy laughed.   
 "Plus I'm going home for a visit," she added. Hermione hugged her delightedly.   
 "That's great!" she said warmly, and Harry grinned at her too. 

 "Dumbledore's going to take me," Buffy said, "Soon, I don't know when, whenever I hear from my mom." Professor Lupin entered the classroom, and they took their seats. Buffy was sat next to Harry. She leant over.   
 "Harry," she whispered, and he looked up. "Would you come with me to Sunnydale?" she asked nervously. "Dumbledore is coming with me, but I need some moral support I think. Do you think you could?" Harry smiled at her and patted her arm.   
 "Of course," he said. "If you want me to. You'll have to ask Dumbledore, but you are supposed to be sticking with me at all times." Buffy smiled gratefully.   
  
Later that evening, Buffy asked Dumbledore about Harry accompanying them and he gave his consent, on the condition that they went over a weekend, so that he wouldn't miss any lessons. Then Buffy spent the evening with Harry, Ron and Hermione in her training room, which had become like their own private common room, telling them about her friends. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The following day was a Saturday, and Buffy rose early, exulting in the feeling that everything that had been pressing on her mind was finally loosening its grip a little. Quidditch trials were that day she realised with a jolt, and began to feel nervous. She pulled on her robes before the others awoke, and went down to the common room. It was deserted and so she left and went to her training room. After an hours pounding on the punch bag, she felt slightly less nervous and went down to breakfast.   
 "Morning," she greeted the others as she sat down and helped herself to toast.   
 "Morning," Ron mumbled through a mouthful of his won toast. "You nervous?" Buffy grinned.   
 "A little." She answered. "Took it out on my punch bag." They finished quickly, and then headed down to the Quidditch pitch, where they were met by a large group of eager Gryffindors. Hermione noted their names in her notebook and then took her place in the stands, where she was going to take notes for Harry to refer to later. They rose into the air, Buffy gripping her school broom nervously with white knuckles. They flew in formation first of all; all in a line after Harry, to warm up, but soon arranged themselves in a game. Buffy was playing chaser at first which was the position she wanted, but she also played beater for a while. After a hard practice, Buffy, Ron and Katie, along with Hermione and her notes, retired to a corner of the common room where they discussed who had performed well enough to merit a place on the team. 

   
Buffy in the meantime headed up to her training room. She, unlike the others, did not get homework, so she had nothing to do. She planned to work out for an hour or so, still exhilarated from her flying, but when she arrived she found a letter waiting for her. Eagerly she tore it open. 

_Dear Buffy,_

_I can't deny that I'm glad to hear from you, I was very worried, and I am glad to know that you are doing well. I don't want to talk too much through letters; Mr Giles has informed me that you are coming to Sunnydale next weekend, so I look forward to seeing you then_

_Love,_

_Mom_

Buffy frowned as she re read the letter. She wasn't quite happy with the tone her mother had taken, as if there was still something she was blaming her for. Buffy bit her lip anxiously; she so badly wanted to be on good terms with her mom, despite the secret she had kept from her. For the next hour, Buffy took out this frustration on her punch bag.

The next morning, Buffy awoke early, desperate to see the Quidditch team members list. The night before, she had bugged Hermione profusely, but Hermione kept quiet, insisting that 'it wasn't fair to the others.' Buffy pulled on her school robes, quietly so as not to wake the others and ran downstairs. She approached the notice board apprehensively, glad that only a few others were up, and scanned the list. It read:

_Harry Potter (captain)…….Seeker_

_Ron Weasley…….Keeper_

_Katie Bell…….Chaser _

_Ginny Weasley…….Chaser_

_Buffy Summers…….Chaser_

_Jack Sloper…….Beater_

_Seamus Finnigan……Beater_

_Andrew Kirke……reserve Beater_

_Dean Thomas……reserve Chaser_

_Lavender Thomas……reserve Chaser _

_The entire team is expected for practices. Thanks to everyone who tried out._

Buffy squealed with delight, making the few people who were up jump.

 "I made it!" she chanted quietly to herself. Hermione came down the stairs and saw Buffy. She grinned broadly. 

"Well done!" she exclaimed. "I wanted to tell you but I couldn't, Harry forbade me. Buffy hugged her, which surprised Hermione, but she joined in her jubilations with delight. One by one, the new members of the team came down and congratulated one another on their success. Ginny, Katie and Buffy made plans to have extra practices so they could work better as a team.   
  
After the excitement of getting a place on the Quidditch team, a fact that earned her more popularity Buffy noticed, the week passed painfully slowly for Buffy. The weekend loomed and thinking about the return to Sunnydale made Buffy feel a million different feelings, both of joy and sadness and fear. But finally Saturday morning, seven o clock came and Buffy nervously gathered up some clothes in her duffel bag, a mixture of robes and muggle clothes, for her stay in Sunnydale. She packed her wand too, and put a stake in her pocket. She met Harry, Ron and Hermione in the common room, they had got up early specially, and, after saying their goodbyes, Buffy cast Harry an uneasy smile and they left to go to Dumbledore's office, Harry carrying a bag also. 

Dumbledore was waiting for them when they arrived, a pink hat on his desk. Buffy stared at it bemusedly, and Dumbledore smiled.

 "It is a portkey," he explained. "It will take us to Sunnydale almost instantaneously. Just make sure you are touching a part of it." Buffy obligingly took hold of the hat along with Dumbledore and Harry. Almost instantaneously, she felt a jerk from behind her navel, and her feet lifted off of the floor, the office disappearing in a whirl of colour. It felt like a long time, though in actuality it was only about three minutes, before Buffy, Harry and Dumbledore hit the pavement in an alleyway. Buffy and Harry fell over, Dumbledore only just managing to stay upright having had more portkey experience. Buffy climbed up, careful not to step on Harry, who was also clambering up, marvelling at the night sky as it was 11 o clock at night in Sunnydale, and was immediately knocked off of her feet. She looked up dazed and saw a man, about mid-twenties standing above her.   
 "God, I've missed you guys," Buffy said cheerfully as she hopped up. The vampire had lunged for Harry who jumped back instinctively, but Buffy caught its arm, turned in and punched it hard. It hit the fence at the back of the alley, and Buffy ran forward pulling out her stake. It kicked, but Buffy blocked it, punched it again, and then staked it in quick succession. She sighed and put away her stake, dusting off her hands.  
 "Welcome to Sunnydale," she announced. 


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 **

"Did you see that Alastor?" Dumbledore said, seemingly to no one. A man wearing a pork pie hat stepped out of the shadows and approached the three. Buffy raised her stake again, and he laughed.   
 "I did, Albus," Mad Eye Moody replied, stepping into a pool of light that came from the neon sign of a shop opposite them. "Most impressive." Harry and Buffy gaped at this unexpected arrival.   
 "Alastor and I felt it would be necessary to have more protection for Harry," Dumbledore explained, noticing their expressions. "He arrived a few minutes before us, and will be staying with us." Harry and Buffy accepted and collected up their belongings.   
 "We've got to go to Giles' house right?" Buffy asked Dumbledore as they began walking down the street, which was practically deserted. Dumbledore nodded, looking around in interest at the Californian town.   
 "What time is it here?" Harry asked curiously, "It was seven when we left so it must be about….." He trailed off expectantly.  
 "Approximately five past eleven on Friday night," Dumbledore replied. Harry raised his eyebrows.   
Buffy led them through Sunnydale, not one pausing for any of them. She was now desperate to see her friends, it was so strange to be in Sunnydale again and see people that she knew littering the streets. 

After ten minutes they reached the stairs down to Giles' house, and Buffy could no longer wait, running down them. She hammered on Giles' door and almost instantly it flew open.   
Giles stood on the threshold and gazed at his slayer. She smiled at him, a tiny smile loaded with meaning. He pulled her in to a tight hug, and she hugged him back, crying against his chest and making his sweater vest damp. He let her go, and held her shoulders.   
 "It's so good to see you," Giles said, a little misty eyed himself. He brushed away her tears, and moved so she could enter the room. Buffy walked in and almost immediately was hit by two thumps, sending her falling backwards onto the wooden floor.   
 "Hey guys," she said happily, hugging Willow and Xander. They helped her up and grinned at her happily. Cordelia and Oz stood a little way off.   
 "Hi Buffy," Cordelia said. "It's good to see you finally back, do you know I've broken two nails doing your job while you were off gallivanting in Europe." Buffy laughed.   
 "Good to see you too Cordy," she said, still laughing. "And you, Oz." Buffy nodded at him and he nodded back with an enigmatic smile. Behind her Giles was ushering Harry, Dumbledore and Moody into his apartment.   
 "Albus, Alastor, so good to see you, it's been what ten years?" he said absentmindedly. "And you must be Harry Potter, nice to meet you." He shook Harry's hand, and Harry stood awkwardly feeling somewhat separated from this scene. Buffy, noticing this, went over to the Hogwarts visitors.   
 "Guys," she said, addressing Xander, Willow, Oz and Cordelia. "This is Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts, Alastor Moody, an Auror with the Ministry of Magic and Harry Potter, my friend from Hogwarts." Xander was gazing in awe at Moody and his spinning blue eye, which was currently fixed back at Xander. 

 "Sit down, sit down," Giles blustered. He fetched a pot of tea from the kitchen and poured out for everyone. Buffy picked up the cup and drunk a deep gulp, tea being something she'd acquired a taste for when she was at Hogwarts. An awkward silence fell over the group, something Buffy hadn't expected.   
 "So you guys have been slaying?" she asked politely. 

 "Only until the new slayer arrived," Willow replied. "But we were getting pretty nifty at it, if I do say so myself, which I do." Buffy smiled briefly.   
 "What's the new slayer like?" she asked.   
 "She's alright," Willow admitted. "Not like you at all, more….slutty…..and kind of wild." Buffy raised an eyebrow. She drunk some more tea and silence fell again.   
 "What's school been like?" Giles said, breaking the silence. 

 "Good," Buffy said smiling, "Not like Sunnydale High, kinda fun actually. I've been learning magic."    
 "Wow, can you turn us all into frogs or something?" Xander asked the disbelieving tone in his voice apparent. Promptly, Moody raised his wand and transfigured his into a toad. Toad-Xander sat on Xander's chair and croaked once, before Moody transfigured him back. The scoobies were all taken aback, except for Giles.   
 "That was wicked cool," Xander exclaimed. "Make me a bee this time!" Moody raised his wand, but lowered it at a look from Dumbledore. Buffy drunk some more tea, then she burst out: 

 "Can I go see my mom?" she asked, having wanted to since she arrived. Giles smiled gently at her.   
 "She said she would be waiting for you." Buffy got up, putting her tea cup on the table. She turned to leave, and then turned back to the others.   

 "Xander, Will, will you come with?" she asked uncomfortably. "I need some moral support." They nodded and got up. The three left, leaving the others to get acquainted.   
  
Once again, walking down the street, awkward silence fell. Willow broke it this time.   
 "Can you turn us into toads too?" she asked. Buffy smiled, glad for the conversation. 

 "No, I'm nowhere near human transfiguration. Even Harry isn't that far yet, and he's been learning since he was eleven. I'm doing ok though, turns out slayers have a lot magic in them."   
 "Can't be worse than me," Willow shrugged. "My one spell and it didn't work." Buffy didn't answer and looked at the floor, and they continued walkin in silence. Suddenly Buffy stopped, and Willow and Xander stopped, looking at her bemusedly.   
 "What is with you guys?" Buffy said, annoyed. "I though you'd be happy to see me, but y'know you're not." Xander and Willow exchanged glances, which infuriated Buffy even more.   
 "Well, you left without a word to anyone," Xander answered, in a cool voice Buffy had never heard him use to her before. "Left us to wonder whether you were even alive, left your mom to panic, and us to take care of your job. Yeah, we're happy to have back, but that doesn't make us forget the fact that you left in the first place." Buffy gaped at her.   
 "Oh I'm sorry," she said sarcastically. "That I wasn't much of a people person at the time. Yeah, let's all blame Buffy; it was her fault this happened in the first place."

 "Buffy, that's not what he meant," Willow said calmingly, casting a warning look at Xander. "It's just that we were scared about you."   
 "Well I didn't have the greatest time!" Buffy yelled. "I didn't leave just top go on vacation, that's for sure. You thought your spell went wrong, but it didn't. Angel got his soul back, but it was too late. I had to kill him, give him up so I could be the slayer and save the world, again. And then I have to come and tell you guys about that, because if I don't I'm being selfish! Forget it; I don't need this from you. I thought you were my friends!" Angrily brushing away the tears that had fallen during her outburst, Buffy stormed off, leaving Xander and Willow standing in the middle of the road together. 

Furiously pacing, Buffy reached her house in a short time. Hr anger left her as she gazed at the house that had been her home for the last two years. Gingerly she walked up the steps and placed her finger on the doorbell, taking a deep breath before opening it. It opened and her mother stood wordlessly in front of her. She opened her arms and Buffy flew into them, hugging her mother with all her strength. 

 "Woah, I have ribs Buffy," Joyce said, and Buffy released her gently.   
 "I missed you," Joyce said softly, and Buffy saw a tear slip down her mother's cheek. She reached up and brushed it away.   
 "I missed you too," Buffy answered sincerely, "But I'm here now." She entered her home, closing the door behind her, and followed Joyce into the living room. They sat on the sofa.   
 "Where have you been? What were you doing?" Joyce demanded immediately.   
 "England," Buffy answered. "I told you. At Hogwarts."   
 "But before that, where did you go?" Joyce persisted. 

 "LA," Buffy answered, a note of impatience making its way into her voice.   
 "Why?" Joyce asked. "Why didn't you write?"   
 "Well you were exactly forthcoming with the welcoming me home," Buffy snapped. She recomposed herself. "Look, I needed to get away; there was nothing for me here. As far as I knew, you couldn't care less about me, and didn't want me home."

 "Well you should have come home, you should have talked to me," Joyce insisted. 

 "Right, because that worked so well the first time. I told you that I was the Slayer and you completely freaked. Admit it," Buffy answered.   
 "You just threw it at me and expected me to accept it," Joyce protested angrily. "What was I supposed to do, rejoice in the fact that my daughter was as strange as people had told me?"   
 "This is why I left," Buffy said in a controlled voice. 

 "I missed you Buffy," Joyce admitted. "Every time the doorbell rang, I ran to it, hoping it was you. And you didn't write, no word nothing."

 "I didn't think you wanted to know," Buffy said honestly. "You told me not to come back, and so I didn't. I can't stop being the slayer just because you say so."

 "It does explain a great deal," Joyce said, with a smile. "The late nights, blood on your clothes and the burning down the gym," 

 "I was full of vampires," Buffy said quickly. They laughed.

 "What have you been doing in England?" Joyce asked, changing the subject, and letting Buffy know that the matter was closed.   
 "Learning magic mostly," Buffy said conversationally. She showed her mother her wand.   
 "And you can do spells with that?" Joyce asked, trying to be the understanding mother.   
 "Yep," said Buffy proudly. "Not many, but I'm learning. Soon I'll be able to do more."   
 "Soon?" Joyce said suddenly. "What does that mean?"   
 "Well generally it's thought to mean close to the now," Buffy replied playfully. Joyce's face didn't smile.

 "You're not going back?" she said incredulously. "But you've just come home, you can't go back." 

 "I was back for a visit," Buffy reminded her. "I never said I was going to stay."

 "You're not leaving again," Joyce raised her voice. "This is your home, and I'm you mother. Doesn't that mean anything to you?" 

 "Of course it does," Buffy said through gritted teeth. "But I have to go back to Hogwarts. I'm doing good there, I'm finally dealing and healing, and I've got to stay to look out for Harry. Part of the slayer-gig, taking care of important people, and helping them get rid of their big bad. They can use my ability, and Sunnydale has a slayer now." 

 "How can you be so selfish?" Joyce exclaimed angrily. "You obviously don't care about anyone but yourself." Buffy laughed disbelievingly and mirthlessly.   
 "You don't know the first thing about me," she said darkly. "You don't know what I've been through; you've been so busy pretending it's not happening. I have to go back; I have to do my job. Maybe I don't want to and maybe I do, it's not a decision based on that. All Sunnydale holds for me is bad memories, and friends and family who chew me out for things they don't understand."

 Buffy got up, and once again stormed out, leaving her mother open mouthed. 


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 **

Buffy walked for a long time, without purpose or noticing where she went. She did not want to return to Giles' as she knew that Willow and Xander would be there, and she did not want to go back to her home. So she walked, alternating between muttering furiously to herself, and crying. The one vampire she ran into was dusted almost immediately, the rush of emotions pent up inside her saw to that. And finally she stopped. Her walking had taken her around town, and it had been seemingly purposeless but Buffy realised where she had inadvertently taken herself. The mansion where it had all happened. 

She entered cautiously, more than once turning again to leave, but changing her mind abruptly again. She was in the garden, if you could call it that, with the stone statues. She walked to the wall, where she had lain. Voices echoed in her ears: 'Now that's everything huh? No weapons…..no friends……no hope.' Buffy shut her eyes to block out the memories, but when she opened them again, they were still there, crowding her, pushing her and manipulating her senses. She entered the mansion, went into the place where it had all happened. Of course there was nothing there now, the Acathla had gone, removed by Giles, Buffy guessed correctly, and there were no visible traces that anything had gone on. 

But to Buffy, there was so much. So much pain and anguish, too much. She sunk to her knees and sobbed into her hands. 

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry." It felt like an infinite amount of time before Buffy finally wiped away her tears and stood up.   
 "I'm sorry," she repeated, her voice wavering. She spoke to the night again: "Why did you have to leave? We should have been forever. I love you so much, more than anyone ever. How could I not? I would have given up every part of me to you. And now you're gone, and that feels like I've been torn apart, like a part of me is missing." She wiped away her tears with a shaking hand. "I can't do this without you, what use is it. You were the one thing I had to hold onto." She broke down again, and her tears fell, spattering on the floor. 

"It's so cold without you," she sobbed. "I can't be happy without you, I can't let anyone in because they don't know, and they can't feel it. Oh god, I love you so much."   She bowed her head, and just stood, holding onto something anything, all she had, the memories. But they weren't enough. Buffy took off her claddagh ring; the one Angel had given her and placed it on the floor. 

"Goodbye," she whispered and walked, slow resolute paces, taking her from the room. She was beyond tears now, beyond feeling. A cool wind blew threw the mansion, whistling as it went. And behind Buffy a loud thud sounded. She assumed it was a chair being knocked over, but turned anyway.   
A man, the body of a man, lay sprawled on the floor of the mansion. Buffy gripped the door frame to stop herself from collapsing. And even then she sunk to the floor, shaking hand covering her mouth. For how long she sat there, staring she didn't know, but she pulled herself up, never taking her eyes off of the man. With legs like jelly, she approached the body and knelt next to it. She reached out, and touched him, then pulled back. She swallowed hard and touched him again, turning him over, so he was face up. The man's eyes opened slowly, and blinked confusedly.  

 "Buffy?" Angel murmured. Buffy lay a finger on his lips and then sat next to him. Wordlessly, she wrapped herself in his arms, and just held him, and they lay there, holding one another close, one being again.   
  



	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14 **

"….And so Voldemort returned, and last year we tried to make people aware of it," Dumbledore explained to Giles, Cordelia and Oz.   
 "I can't believe there's this whole magic world that we just didn't know about," said Cordelia. 

 "They share similarities with us though," Oz mused. "Another werewolf. Fascinating."  

Harry, Dumbledore and Moody had spent the lat fifteen minutes explaining to the others about the Wizarding world and about Voldemort. 

Behind Harry, who was perched on the sofa, the door opened and Xander and Willow came into the room.   
 "Did Buffy sort things out with Joyce?" Giles asked them. They glanced at each other.   
 "Well, we didn't exactly get that far," Willow admitted, "We kind of had a…heated discussion on the way there, and Buffy went ahead on her own." Giles frowned, a crease appearing between his eyes. Xander and Willow exchanged another glance.   
 "We just told her that we weren't over happy about the way she left, and that it wasn't the greatest thing she had come back" he said awkwardly. 

 "You said what?" Harry said, standing up. "You idiot. Do you know how excited she was to be coming home? After what she's been through."

 "You don't know what it's been like for us," Willow said, her eyes flashing. "She left without a word us."   
 "Right, it's been so hard for you," Harry said sarcastically. "I thought you were supposed to be her friends. You have no idea."

 "About Angel?" Xander broke in, "Yeah she told us." He looked away from Harry's angry gaze.   
 "What about Angel?" Giles said, his frown deepening. 

  "It turns out my spell worked," Willow said quietly. "But too late, and she had to kill him when he had got his soul back." Silence descended on the room. Giles took off his glasses and polished them, then placed them back on his head.   
 "And you said what to her?" he said in a pained voice, addressing Willow and Xander. They had the grace to look sheepish.  
 "That she was maybe a tiny bit selfish for leaving like she did," Willow said in a small voice. Giles rubbed his forehead. 

 "Do you realise what you could have done?" he said heatedly. "What if she doesn't come back?"   
 "We didn't mean to do that," Willow said quickly. "I mean I'm so glad she's back, I am. Just seeing her back kind of reminded me what the last months have been like. We just lost it. But I didn't know about Angel." 

"No wonder she left," Giles said sadly. "What she had to got through, and then for him to come back, only for her to have to take him away again." The phone rang, and distractedly, Giles reached for it.   
Harry glared at Willow and Xander, wondering how Buffy could have spoken about them in the passionate way she had, and they could treat her like this.   
 Giles hung up the phone.   
 "That was Mrs Summers," he informed them. "She and Buffy had an argument too, much of the same stuff, and Buffy left. She wanted to know whether she was here." He sighed.   
 "She comes home, and all we do is berate her for things she had no control over. She won't want to stay now."   
 "Where is she then?" Harry asked. "I can understand why she wouldn't want to see you guys, and her mother, but she would come to us, I know it. She loves Hogwarts." Xander scowled at Harry, but he ignored him.   
 "It is important that we find her," Dumbledore said.

 "Well let's go then," Xander said, standing up.   
 "I don't think it is a good idea for you to come," Dumbledore said calmly. "She might not respond to you." Xander opened his mouth, but Giles silence him.   
 "I agree," he said. "I will go, and Harry, Albus and Alastor. You four stay here, to see if she comes back." 

 The four left the house, Giles going one way, Moody, Dumbledore and Harry the other.

Buffy yawned widely, brushing blond tendrils of hair out of her face. She was cold, but she supposed that was because she had somehow kicked off the bed coverings. She tried to reach down to pull them up, but her fingertips touched stone floor and she gasped and opened her eyes, staring directly into the open eyes of Angel.   
 "Angel," Buffy breathed. "You're here." He looked back at her and kissed her gently.   
 She snuggled into her chest.   
 "How?" she whispered to him. "I mean, the Acathla, and you were taken." He kissed the top of her head. 

 "I don't know," he admitted. "I was somewhere hot, unbearably hot, and it was painful, and then I was here, with you. I love you so much Buffy." She silenced him with another kiss.   
 "I don't care, I really don't," she said softly. "Just as long as you're here. I though I'd lost you forever." Sunlight blossomed through the doors but it did not touch them where they lay.   
Buffy heard footsteps sounding on the stone floor outside and looked up, unwilling to remove herself from Angel's embrace and he was not willing to release her.   
Professor Dumbledore, Harry and Moody stood in the doorway that led to the courtyard.   
 "You've got some explaining to do girl," Moody growled. Buffy and Angle, entangled in one another, got up.   
 "Dumbledore?" Angel said, taken aback. He wasn't the only one.   
 "You know him?" Buffy exclaimed.   
 "We met a long time ago, when I had just got my soul. I was living in New York eating rats when Dumbledore comes to me, and introduces me to Whistler. This guy who helped me," Angel explained. "We kept in touch after that."

"I met him I think," Buffy said wrinkling her nose. "Annoying guy, big with the cryptic?"  
 "And old friend of mine," Dumbledore said smiling slightly. "I'm not often baffled, but when I am, I am completely so." Buffy smiled ruefully.   
 "I'm baffled too," she admitted. "I was here, saying my goodbye to Angel, I put my ring down, turned to leave and he just appeared."   
 "Wait a second, you're Angel?" Harry said suddenly. "But, you were dead."   
 "Since 1753 actually," Angel said. "Who are you?"   
 "Long story," Buffy said. "In short, left Sunnydale after all the Acathla stuff, went to LA, met Dumbledore, and went to Hogwarts to look out for Harry."   
 "Harry Potter?" Angel said his eyes widening.  
 "Yes, Harry Potter," Moody spoke for the first time since he had arrived. "Angelus, the scourge of Europe I believe. You'd better keep your fangs where we can see them."   
 "Alastor, Angel has a soul," Dumbledore said placatingly. "He's has done since 1898."   
 "He's still a vampire," growled Moody, narrowing his eyes with dislike.   
 Buffy stepped in front of Angel.   
 "Look, I'm not dealing with this now," she said determinedly. "Where's everyone else?"

 "We came looking for you when your friends told us what had happened." Harry said as a way of explanation. Buffy's eyes hardened for a second, and then she relaxed.  
 "Are they all at Giles' still?" she asked with an oddly strained voice. 

 "Rupert is searching for you as we were," Dumbledore said, looking at her carefully. Buffy and Angel exchanged glances.   
 "Then we have to leave," Buffy said quickly. "We can't stay here." Dumbledore looked at Buffy questioningly.

 "I killed her," Angel said suddenly. "Miss Calendar. And Giles wanted to kill me." Dumbledore and Moody nodded, understanding.   
 "They can't know Angel is back," Buffy said in a low voice. "I have to sort stuff out with them, but they can't know, not yet." Dumbledore nodded.

 "I trust your judgement," he said. "Angel, you will have to go to Hogwarts, I can send you to a dungeon, but you cannot leave until we return. It would cause panic." Angel nodded. Dumbledore took out his wand and began searching for a suitable portkey object.   
Angel turned to Buffy. 

"I'll be with you soon," he said hoarsely, and she nodded, her eyes glistening with tears. He kissed her then took the portkey Dumbledore gave him, and was whisked away. 

Seconds after that, Giles came rushing into the Mansion.  
 "Buffy," he gasped. "Thank goodness we found you. You must come back, Xander and Willow, they're fools, and they didn't mean it. Neither did your mom." Buffy offered his a small smile and followed him out of the mansion. She looked back at Dumbledore, Moody and Harry who followed them. They all knew that her look was swearing them to secrecy. 


	15. Chapter 15

It's really difficult writing about a time that has already happened, and it's difficult to not try and adapt my writing to that, but I have tried. When I saw this episode, I was really annoyed at the way Xander, Willow and Joyce laid into Buffy, and Buffy just took it, so I changed it.

Read and review!

**Chapter 15 **

Buffy entered Giles' home, following him, with her Hogwarts friends following behind her. Willow and Xander stood up quickly as they saw them enter.   
 "Buffy we are so sorry," Willow burst out. Buffy held up a hand.   
 "Guys could we have some time," she said to the others, and Moody, Dumbledore and Harry left, followed by Oz and Cordelia, Cordelia insisting she wanted to listen but being ushered out by Oz.   
 "We're sorry," Willow repeated. She didn't look at Buffy, but the floor. "We didn't know."

"It's okay," Buffy assured her. "I'm not blaming you for what you said. In a way you're right, I have been selfish. I shouldn't have like I did without word, and I can't blame you for feeling the way you did. But it wasn't as simple as that.   
 "We get that now," Xander said, with a rueful; smile. "You did good, kid, It must've taken a lot for you to do that.   
 "You're not wrong," Buffy admitted. "But I'm doing okay. Hogwarts is great and so are the people." Xander and Willow exchanged yet another glance.   
 "What now?" Buffy exclaimed good naturedly.  
 "Well, that Harry guy is a bit….well…mean," Willow said. "I mean when we showed up without you he pretty much freaked out." Buffy laughed. 

 "He's been a really good friend to me at Hogwarts." She said. "I told him about Angel and all that, so he kind of knew the full story. He understands what it's like, he's really important too, like Slayer important."  Xander raised sceptical eyebrows.

 "Just try and like him for me, okay?" she said in a strained voice. "I wish you could meet the others too, you'd really like them I think." They digested this, then Xander broke in.   
 "Are you going back?" he asked quietly. Buffy looked at him for a long moment.  
 "Yes," she replied simply. "Sunnydale has a slayer for now, and I'm not ready for that kind of commitment yet. I'm still healing, and I'm kind of enjoying not being the chosen one, but the protector of the chosen one. It's refreshing."   
 "But what about us?" Willow said in a strange croaky voice. 

 "You know I love you guys," Buffy said openly. "But this is something I have to do. And I'll still see you, I'll come visit and you can come to see me at Hogwarts. Maybe without me around, you'll stop getting hurt."   
 "But where's the fun in that?" Xander exclaimed. "They whole cool slaying gig made me feel manly. Even Cordy stopped mocking me!" 

 "Buffy has to go back," Giles said quietly, speaking for the first time. He cleaned his glasses yet again. "There's no where she can do more good than Hogwarts. From what Dumbledore has told me, they have a war on their hands. And the only one who can end it is Harry Potter. He's going to need all the help he can get." 

 "I have the apocalypse experience down," Buffy quipped. She suddenly sighed. 

I have to go see my mom again," she said softly. "I can't leave like this."   
 "She called you know," Giles poke up. "She was worried about you." Buffy stood up, and left the house, to travel to her mother's house. The others rejoined Giles, Willow and Xander.   
 "We'd better get to our motel," Dumbledore said. 

 "Come over tomorrow," Giles said. "We can give you the Sunnydale experience." They agreed, and Harry, Dumbledore and Moody left the house. 

Buffy stretched luxuriously the next morning. It felt good to be back in her own bed, in her own room, even if it was just for a visit.   
 "Morning Buffy," her mother said, bustling into the room with a tray holding breakfast for her. "Sleep well?" Buffy smiled in reply and took the tray. She and her mother had talked again last night, and everything was tentatively okay between them

 "There's nothing like your cooking," she declared as she tucked into her eggs. Joyce sat down on the edge of her bed, and reached out to tuck Buffy's hair behind her ear fondly.   
  "I was thinking that today we can go hang out with all the others," Buffy said conversationally, through a mouthful of eggs. "All of the Hogwarts people too, so you can see who I've been with. You're going to love Dumbledore, he's the greatest." Joyce nodded. 

They all met at Giles', Harry, Dumbledore and Moody having spent a night in the town motel. After much deliberation, they decided to spend the day divide between the miniature golf course and various other tourist treats. What they were really looking forward to was the evening, where Buffy was going to take them on patrol with her. 

Buffy stayed close to her mom throughout the day, wanting her to forgive her and understand what was happening in her life. Joyce got on well with Dumbledore as Buffy had predicted, but was amazed at his revelations about the magical world. Xander and Willow made an effort to talk to Harry, and harry, regretting his anger of the previous night, was polite back to them. The whole group found the mini golf experience funny, Moody had no conception of muggle games, and Buffy had to teach him to exercise restraint when his first hit ricocheted off of the fibreglass castle and hit the course attendant in the mouth.   
That night, Buffy sent her mother home, feeling she wasn't quite ready for her to see a slayer in action and she set out for the cemetery, accompanied by Harry, Moody, Dumbledore, Willow and Xander.   
 "I used to patrol like every night," Buffy explained as they walked there. "Sunnydale's so hot with demonic badness that I had to." 

"But we did it while Buffy was gone," Xander said helpfully. "We had this whole cool radio thing going on. My hook was nighthawk."   
Presently they arrived at the cemetery, and Buffy led them in, surprised at how familiar it seemed.   
 "And now we wait," she said. "There's always something." They stood in a loose group talking quietly, when Buffy suddenly hushed them. She listened carefully, then, without warning, a male vampire jumped out from the shadows, grabbing Buffy and throwing her to the floor. It turned to the rest of them, but Buffy was up quickly, and kicked it in the stomach, sending it reeling backwards. Out of the shadows another appeared. Buffy took them both on at once, kicking one, while blocking a punch from the other. She was kicked to the floor once, but got up and carried on fighting. 

 "I can't get a clear shot," Moody growled, frustrated, with him wand raised. "If I try and hex them, I might get the girl." Dumbledore was watching them through narrowed eyes.   
 "I think she'll be okay." Buffy moved quickly and deftly, attacking them with as much force as she could muster. She had the upper hand for a while, and staked one of them, and then turned to the other. Before she could react, it kicked her, sending her flying back against a nearby headstone. It leapt over and Buffy fought from the ground.

Suddenly a woman came running up, pulled the vampire off of Buffy and tackled it herself. She staked it quickly, as Buffy was getting to her feet.   
 "Who are you?" Buffy said, as the girl dusted her hands off. 

 "Buffy, this is Faith, the new Slayer," Willow said quickly.   
 "Oh," Buffy said, suddenly distracted. "I wondered when I'd meet you."

 "Buffy right?" Faith said, with a quick smile. "Good to meet you B." She walked off, leaving the cemetery. 

"Well that was interesting," Buffy said with a forced smile. "Kind of weird seeing someone doing my job." She frowned in the direction of the girl's departing back, then led them deeper into the cemetery.  
 


	16. Chapter 16

Lol 'emasculating' was my attempt at being smart, but it completely backfired. Thanks for letting me know, I have gone back and changed it so it now makes sense. By any chance, does anyone know the opposite of emasculating?

**Chapter 16                  **

Sunday came, and Joyce cooked a huge meal for all of the guests. Moody sent his apologies and was not present. Buffy did not know where he went, but she knew he was busy doing something important for the cause. The meal was successful, Buffy glad to be home once again, but at the same time in a state of anticipation to be returning to Hogwarts, and Angel. The afternoon drew to its end and Moody arrived back at the Summers household, furtively avoiding Buffy and Harry's curious glances. Dumbledore received an old sock from Joyce, and he charmed it into a portkey.   
 "Goodbye," Buffy said, hugging her mother gently. "I'll miss you. But I promise             I'll write and I'll visit again." She brushed away her mother's tears. "It's better this way." She hugged her again, and then turned to Giles. 

 "Call me if anything happens," she said seriously. "I'll come back if you need me in a second." She hugged him too, and then opened her arms to Willow and Xander. The three hugged for a long time, and when they pulled apart, Buffy was crying.   
 "I'll be back soon," she sniffled. "Promise you'll write to me, and take care of yourselves."   
 "We'll miss you Buff," Xander said, now wiping away her tears. "Do good at this school, kay?" He nodded to Harry, Moody and Dumbledore. "Nice to meet you."  They shook his hands, and finally, they were ready to leave. For a moment they stood still, Buffy unable to leave.   
 "Okay, I have to go," she said, as if she were convincing herself. She pulled herself together, shifting the bag of clothes she had collected from her room, not having taken enough with her when she went to LA. She took hold of the sock that Dumbledore held out, and waved at her friends as she was lifted from the ground once again.   
  
She landed hard in Dumbledore's Office, but this time managed to keep on her feet. Immediately as they arrived, Moody left the office, saying his goodbyes and explaining that he was wanted at the Ministry. Buffy watched his departing back, wondering just what he had got up to while he was in Sunnydale.   
 "You two can return to your common room," Dumbledore said kindly. "It is eleven o clock UK time, and I'm sure you want to get some sleep." Buffy and Harry carried their bags down the moving staircase and once again found themselves in the familiar stone corridors of Hogwarts.   
 "Harry," Buffy began. He looked round at her. 

 "It's okay, I'll take them back to the dormitory," Harry said before she could continue. "Go and see him." Buffy smiled at him, dropped her bags and ran down the corridor. She skipped down the steps to the dungeons and found herself in the dark dampness of the dungeons. Travelling down into the darkest parts of the dungeons, where Buffy knew Angel to be, she could hardly contain her excitement. Turning a corner into the area that was never used, Buffy saw a door that was ajar and had soft candlelight seeping out of it. She entered the room, and then stopped dead.   
Professor Snape stood in front of her, his back to her, wand raised and pointed at Angle who stood before him.   
 "I'll ask again," Snape murmured angrily. "Who are you and what are you doing in this castle?" Angel's eyes flickered towards Buffy, but knowing what the wand could do, he did not speak. Snape backed up so that Buffy was in his eye line.   
 "Ah Miss Summers," he said nastily. "I believe this is your line of work, or so I am told. This vampire has infiltrated the castle, and not wanting to show doubt in your abilities, I think it is time for you to do what you are meant to do." Buffy scrutinized Snape.

 "He's not dangerous," she said quietly. "Angle isn't going to harm any one."

 "Angelus?" Snape said quickly. "The scourge of Europe not harming anyone, I do believe Potter has rubbed off his story telling skills on you, Miss Summers."  
 "Look back off, okay?" Buffy said heatedly. "Dumbledore sent him here."   
 "I seriously doubt that," Snape said. "Dumbledore would not have sent a killer here, much less a vampire."

 "People change," Buffy said bluntly. "You did, and Dumbledore trusted you, harry told me. Show something that will make the rest of us believe you actually were being sincere. Back off." She crouched very slightly, something Snape didn't notice, but Angel did.   
 "Don't talk about things you don't understand," Snape said furiously, his pale face flushed with rage. "You come here, and all of a sudden you are the expert on our lives. You know nothing about me, nothing about anything. You are a common muggle, given powers she is too immature to wield. Go back to California, maybe you can actually be some use there." 

Buffy sprang at him, knocking him back against the wall, and causing his wand to clatter to the floor. She held him to the wall, just as she had done Malfoy.   
 "I know nothing?" she hissed. "I know more about you than you think. I know that you were a death eater and the only one who trusts you is Dumbledore. I know that it is your fault that Harry lost his Godfather, because of a childish grudge. And you call me immature? You're mistaken; it's you that knows nothing." Buffy was incensed with rage, but a hand on her shoulder caused her to relax slightly.   
 "Buffy," Angel said softly. "Save it for someone more worthwhile." Buffy reluctantly released Snape who dived for the floor and picked up his wand, and once again raised it.   
 "Oh please," Buffy said scornfully. "Between us, you would be floored before you could draw breath to say an incantation." She stared at Snape, and the door flew open, to reveal Dumbledore outlined in the door frame.   
 "Severus," he greeted him calmly. "I see you have met our new guest." Snape glanced sideways in disbelief at Dumbledore.   
 "He will be staying in this dungeon for an undecided amount of time," Dumbledore continued calmly. "I trust you to make him welcome; he will be living in your department." Buffy and Angel exchanged amused glances at the look of horror on Snapes face. 

"Professor you can't expect me to harbour…this?" he said with mingled distaste and horror. "A known killer and a vampire at that?"  
 "I believe his name is Angel," Dumbledore said, as serene as ever. "A killer he may be, but as I think you know well, what matters is a man's future and what he wants to make of that, not his past." Snape stared unfalteringly at Dumbledore for a few seconds, and then strode out of the room. 

Dumbledore looked at Angel and Buffy, and Buffy could've sworn she saw a glint of happiness in his eye.   
 "As I said, you are welcome to stay here," Dumbledore said. "A long time ago I took an interest in you Angel, some would call it foolish but I try to see the good in people. And what you accomplished after that made me feel my hopes for you were founded. I'll leave you now, but tomorrow I will visit, and we can see about making your quarters more comfortable." He smiled at them again, and then left the dungeon room. 


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17 **

Buffy approached Angel and hugged him tightly as soon as they were alone. 

 "This is so odd," she murmured, not letting go of him. "I never thought in a million years that I'd be touching you again."   
 "Lucky me," Angel said sincerely, stroking her glossy blonde hair.  The room that they stood in was sparsely decorated, with a wooden bench in the corner, next to the one window with a raggedy curtain, and dingy stone walls lit by fiery torches. Together they curled up on the bench, gazing out across the grounds, which were moonlit and silvery.   
 "How am I here?" Angel said quietly. "I mean how am I at Hogwarts, but also how I am on earth again?"  
 "Where were you?" Buffy said, sitting up and facing him.   
 "Hell," Angel said wincing. "Somewhere dark and painful. But then I'm on earth again." 

 "I bet Dumbledore has some idea," Buffy said confidently, "He seems to know about everything."   
 "How do you know Dumbledore?" Angel asked, stroking her hair again.   
 "After all that stuff with the Acathla, I left Sunnydale," Buffy began slowly. "I told my mom what I was and she threw me out, and after I did what I had to, I left. Worked in L.A for a while, waitressing, until Dumbledore came to find me. He took me back to Hogwarts, for some healing time. While I'm here, I've got to look out for Harry, since he's the Chosen One and all that jazz."

 "But I don't understand why is Harry Potter in danger?" Angel said, bemused. "I mean apart from disgruntled death eaters."  
 "Okay, I am totally weirded out as to how you know all this." Buffy said, kissing him quickly. "But anyway, Voldemort came back two years ago, and wants to kill Harry." 

 "Voldemort is back?" Angel said. He whistled. "Bet that's caused some problems." 

 "Hence me being here," Buffy finished. "How do you know all of this?"

 "I have been around for a long time, nearly 300 years," Angel explained with a small smile. "Darla told me about the magic world, and I took an interest in it. Had a run in with Dumbledore, when I didn't have my soul. He came off better, and then when I got my soul, he introduced me to Whistler. Plus, Spike, Darla and Drusilla were death eaters for a while, but they got tired of the regime, decided to quit. Wasn't much Voldemort could do, he couldn't kill them." 

"I can't believe we didn't know about this," Buffy said reflectively, "I mean Giles knew, of course, but the rest of us were completely behind on the whole thing." She snuggled into his arms, which he tightened around her. "But I've been going to school here, even doing a little magic." There was a short silence.   
 "What happened after well you know, I lost my soul?" Angel said quietly. Buffy looked at him, and then looked away.

 "What do you remember?" she said in a strained voice.   
 "I remember that I …killed Miss Calendar. And I remember Drusilla and Spike."

 "Well, you tortured Giles, to work out how to open the Acathla." Buffy muttered. "And Drusilla killed Kendra, and Willow was hurt, but she and Giles are okay now. You nearly ended the world. And you told me…you told me that I wasn't good, that I had a lot to learn about men." Angel hugged her close.   
 "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I wish I could take it all back. The curse was about happiness, when we were together, that was the best feeling I've ever had. Guess that's where we went wrong." Buffy looked up at him.   
 "I'm sorry too," she said softly. "I'm sorry I sent you to hell."   
 "You did what you had to," he said gently. "That's what being the slayer is all about." 

 "Too right," Whistler agreed as he entered the room.

Harry dragged his bags through the portrait hole. The common room was practically empty, except for Hermione and Ron who were seated in front of the fire. Harry coughed a little and they turned.   
 "Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, jumping up. "You're home? Did you have a good time? Did you see any vampires? What were Buffy's friends like?" Harry took a step back and dropped all his bags.   
 "Give him a second," Ron said. "He's only just got back. Where's Buffy?"   
Harry followed them to the sofa they had been sitting on and settled back, enjoying the warmth of the fire. 

 "You'll never guess who we ran into in Sunnydale?" harry said in a low voice, just in case anyone was listening. Ron and Hermione listened raptly. "Angel." Their expressions were suitably awed.

 "Buffy's 300 year old, vampire boyfriend who she killed last year?" Ron said, shocked. He and Hermione knew what Buffy had done, and that it was part of the reason she was at Hogwarts, but they didn't know what it had done to Buffy like Harry did.   
 "But how can he be back?" Hermione sputtered. "It's just not possible." 

 "Well, apparently it is," Harry said grimly. "Anyway Dumbledore sent him to dungeons."   
 "He's here?" Hermione exclaimed. "Dumbledore allowed an evil vampire into Hogwarts? Is he mad?" 

"Well, he's supposed to have his soul back," Harry said doubtfully. "And he knew Dumbledore, something about whistling, I don't know. But it was an interesting visit."

"What are you doing here?" Buffy demanded, getting up from the bench. 

 "You did it kid," said Whistler, coming further into the room and closing the dungeon door. "You really did it." 

 "No thanks to you," Buffy shot back. "All that cryptic about 'the sword isn't enough.' It did just fine thanks."

 "Yeah it did," he admitted. "But it was more than that. You'll understand some day." Buffy rolled her eyes.   
 "Hey Angel," Whistler called, pulling a bar of chocolate out of his pocket and opening it. "You did good too, became someone to be counted and all that."  
 "I'm guessing you have some idea why I'm back," Angel said impassively. 

 "I'm guessing I do," Whistler replied. "Look, here's the deal kids. I told Buffy that the Powers That Be didn't intend for you to be together." Angel looked at Buffy and she shrugged.   
 "Well that's still true," he continued. "It wasn't meant to be. But hey, it all worked out fine and dandy in the end right? So the Powers That Be, or my big bosses as I call them, decided to give you a little gift. Your honey back to you again." Buffy narrowed her eyes.   
 "They felt like giving me a gift?" Buffy said. "Like a 'hey, thanks for the saving the world, have a fruit basket' kind of gift? Please."   
 "Okay so there's this other part too," Whistler admitted. "But I don't know what you're complaining about. You got what you wanted."   
 "What other part?" Angel asked quickly.   
 "Well, I think we got it right this time, after the whole Acathla mix-up," Whistler began. "Boy did that leave some red faces. You're going to help in this war against Voldemort, both of you are going to help. Say hey to Albus for me, and thank him for that fruit cake he sent me." He made to leave, but Buffy spoke before he could.

 "How do you know Dumbledore, what's his part with Angel and in all of this?" Buffy asked him.

 "You can't expect a guy as powerful as Dumbledore not to know the people upstairs," Whistler said enigmatically. He gave them a little wave, and then departed. 


	18. Chapter 18

Wow, was just reading my old reviews and saw that a few chapters back I had one from Don Sample. Fair enough, it was one pointing out my vocabulary mistake, but I was quite amused as I love his story, 'Harry Potter and the Key of Dagon.' If you haven't read this, then go check it out, as its one of the top fanfics ever written. Don Sample, if you are still reading my fic, send me a review since I was pleased to hear from u. 

**Chapter 18 **

Buffy woke up in a corner of the dungeon, in Angel's arms. He was awake, stroking her face as she stretched and smiled at him sleepily.   
 "Morning sleepy head," he said softly. She kissed him, and yawned widely, feeling the effects of having stayed up talking all night.   
 "What time is it?" she said through her yawn, wrinkling her nose.   
 "Half eight," Angel answered casually. Buffy sat bolt upright.   
 "Half eight?" she repeated. "Damn, I've got to go. Sorry, but I've got class at nine, and I can't let Harry or Dumbledore down. Be back at lunch, see you." She kissed him quickly, and then ran out of the dungeon.  

Buffy rushed into breakfast at ten to eight, having showered and changed in record time. Harry, Ron and Hermione were eating toast and talking quietly when she skidded into the hall.  
 "Hey guys," she said, out of breath. She began piling jam on toast speedily. "What's up?"   
 "So it's true then?" Ron said carefully. "Your old boyfriend, the vampire, is back then?" Buffy looked at them carefully, not stopping her application of jam.

 "Yeah it's true," she said comfortably. "He's staying at Hogwarts for now too. You'd better come and meet him, at lunch." Ron looked so shocked that Buffy could see the whites of his eyes.  
 "Meet a vampire at lunch?" he said, flabbergasted. "What if he bites us or something? I don't want to become lunch for a vampire." Buffy laughed, which made Ron somewhat annoyed.  
 "He has a soul," she said, now eating her toast. "He's not going to bite you, he doesn't eat people." Ron shot her a dark look.  
 "Yeah we'll come and meet him," Hermione saying, shooting a reproving look at Ron and earning a glare back. "Of course." Buffy grinned, and then leapt up with the others as the bell rang for the first lesson. 

Buffy last lesson before lunch was Potions, and she considered skipping it after the events of last night, but decided that she owed Dumbledore enough to convince her to attend.

True to her prediction, Professor Snape was on rare form. Not having been able to exact his revenge on Angel for daring to appear in his dungeons, he decided to take his anger out on Buffy.  
 "The rest of the class can attempt this metamorphosis potion, but I think it might be a little advanced for our American friend," Snape said, causing the Slytherins to laugh, Malfoy the loudest. Buffy looked at him coolly. She stomped up to the front of the class when he beckoned her, after all the others set to work on their potions. 

 "Dumbledore may be under the illusion that a vampire can be trusted," Snape said cruelly, "But I, unfortunately for you, am not. If I see either of you doing anything that looks mildly suspicious, you will find yourselves cursed faster that you can say 'knargle.' Do I make myself clear?" Buffy stared at him icily, and then nodded almost imperceptibly. 

"Then we have an understanding," Snape said with a slimy smile. Never had Buffy more wanted to attack a mortal. It took all of her self restraint not to knock him out with a right hook. She sat back down at her potion stained desk and made notes from the textbook Snape gave her, ignoring the sympathetic glances the others threw her. When the bell finally went, Buffy nearly ran out of the dungeon, so keen was she to be away from Snape. Harry, Ron and Hermione followed her, waiting til all their classmates had left, before turning in the opposite direction.   
They approached Angel's dungeon, and Buffy knocked softly and opened the door. The four entered, and Buffy was surprised to see the changes to the room that Dumbledore had provided. A grand four poster bed was against one of the walls, even bigger than Buffy's in her dormitory, and it too was hung with dark, blood red drapes and coverings. The thin wooden bench by the window had become a red velvet covered sofa, the ragged curtain a deep red drape. A bookshelf filled one wall, a desk next to it, and Buffy could see a packet of blood on the table next to the bed.   
 "This place looks great," she said to Angel, who was sitting by the window, staring out of it. "But hey, why aren't you all dusty?" He smiled thinly at her.  
 "Professor Dumbledore put a charm on it," he said. "The rays cannot hurt me." He looked away from the window, which had a view over the forest and part of the Quidditch pitch and got up to embrace Buffy. Buffy exulted in the feeling of his arms wrapped around her, then pulled away.   
 "Angel these are my friends," she said, gesturing to Harry, Ron and Hermione who were standing nervously by the door, Ron eyeing it every now and then. "This is Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley." Angel came forward to shake their hands. 

  "Of course, Harry Potter, I know all about you," Angel murmured. Ron looked as if he were about to laugh, but suppressed it with a furtive glance at Angel. "I know a few ex-death eaters." Harry raised his eyebrows.  
 "Ex, don't you mean dead?" he said quickly. 

"Already dead when they joined." Angel said briskly. "Voldemort tried to have them staked but they managed to escape to America." The awkward silence that Buffy had got so used to crept up on them again.   
 "Well we'd better get lunch," Hermione said quickly. "See you later Buffy." Harry and Ron followed her out of the dungeon.   
 "They seem nice," Angel said distractedly. "And you've got to take care of Harry? He's going to need it." Buffy nodded seriously.   
 "He's got a prophecy, something about being the one who can bring down Voldemort," she said. "I can relate to that one. But his friends, they don't know. He won't tell them, doesn't want them to see him as the 'marked man' he thinks he is." Angel nodded seriously.

 "It's rough," he said. "But I want to help; now I'm here. Whistler said we would, and I owe Dumbledore. That man has done so much for me, I want to help in any way I can."  
 "He helped me too," Buffy agreed. "Hey, he's the helper man! He helps everyone, like a cool superhero."  
 "I'm not sure a Lycra costume is quite me," Dumbledore said dryly, entering the room.   
  



	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19 **

"I wanted to see how you were getting along," Dumbledore said, as he closed the door behind him. "I hope your room is comfortable?"

 "Yeah, it's perfect, thank you," Angel replied. 

 "You are of course welcome to use the training room I provided for Buffy," Dumbledore informed him. "It is on the fifth floor, third door on the left. The password is 'slayer.' There is a variety of equipment and weapons in there, let me know if you need anything else. Do not feel you are confined to this room during the evenings. You cannot reveal your identity to anyone, though of course the staff know who you are, but you are not a prisoner."  
 "Thanks," Angel said again.  
 "I passed Harry, Ron and Hermione on the way here," Dumbledore said with a small smile. "Mr Weasley looked frankly scared out of his wits. Now that you are at Hogwarts, I give you the same task: to look out for Harry and protect him in anyway you can. You know how important he is, and how he needs time to become a man before he faces his destiny. At all costs we cannot let him not have that chance. If anything happens to him, we are lost." Angel and Buffy nodded gravely.  
 "I trust you," Dumbledore said simply. "I took an interest in the two of you a long time ago, just as I did Harry. I think the future will work out for all of you." He smiled swiftly before continuing. "There is just one other thing I need to ask you about, Hagrid has informed me that there have been a few creatures found dead in the forest, with their blood drained. It is not unusual for vampires to inhabit the forest, but of course it is inconvenient."

 "We'll go down there this evening," Buffy promised. "I could do with the workout." Dumbledore smiled again, and left them alone.  
  
That evening, Buffy and Angel made their way to the training room. Unfortunately for them, they passed a group of Gryffindors going up the staircase to the fourth floor, Neville, Seamus, Dean, lavender and Parvati among them. They goggled at Angle and Buffy, but Buffy looked straight ahead and pretended nothing was wrong.  
 "Oops," she said after they were out of earshot. "Dumbledore probably didn't mean for that to happen." They grinned sheepishly at each other and continued.   
When they reached the room, Buffy selected two stakes from the pile, which Ron, Harry and Hermione had helped her sharpen, and the crossbow. Angel took the axe and a stake for himself. All kitted out, they pushed the door of the room, to go down to the Forbidden Forest. Pushing it open, it nearly hit Harry, Ron and Hermione. 

 "What are you guys doing here?" Buffy said, her brow furrowing. "We're going to patrol." 

 "We just wondered what was going on," Ron said, looking sideways at the others. "Lavender and Parvati and the others came in saying something about you and a stranger wandering the halls, and we wanted to know what was up."   
 "Vamps in the forest," Buffy said explanatorily. "Dumbledore said we had to go dust them."

 "Can we come?" Harry asked hopefully.   
 "Big no!" Buffy exclaimed. "Dumbledore said we had to protect you; Angel's been enlisted too, and taking you into the forest into a nest of vampires is not protecting you."

  "We'd be really quiet," Harry wheedled and Ron and Hermione looked at her pleadingly.

 "We might even be able to help," Hermione put in helpfully. "You know, do spells or something. Only Harry's seen you slay before, and we want to see you in action." Buffy and Angel looked at each other.  
 "Okay," Angel said finally. "But if we say leave, then no playing the hero and staying; you have to leave. And stay behind us. Grab a stake from the room and one of the crosses, and get your wands out." Hermione, Ron and Harry broke out into identical grins and took stakes from the large pile and a large wooden cross. The five headed down to the forest.  
  
 "Keep silent," Buffy said seriously, on the outskirts of the forest. "We don't know the territory, or what else is living in there, so I need to be able to hear everything. And stay with us."

 She went ahead, followed by Harry, then Hermione, then Ron, and behind them all, Angel. Harry, Ron and Hermione lit their wand tips, and they stealthily crept in. 

Buffy led the way, seemingly knowing where she was headed, though the others could not see any noticeable tracks. Once or twice she stopped them dead to listen, and Angel came forward to smell the air and also look at the ground for signs of creatures.  
 Harry, Ron and Hermione began to notice an odour in the air, the odour of rotting flesh. All three of them covered their noses with their hands, but Buffy and Angel did no such thing. Gradually they approached a clump of bushes and carefully and quietly parted them. In a clearing in front of them was the nest of vampires, and it was clear the smell was coming from a pile of rotting animal carcasses that lay on the edge.   
 "There's one…two…three," Buffy said counting. "There are seven all together. Think we can handle it?"

 "What do you think?" Angel said impassively. 

 "Let's do it," Ron whispered excitedly. Once again, Buffy and Angel exchanged glances and then Buffy nodded her jaw set.  
 She stood up and walked out from the bushed, and Angle held out his arm to stop the others following her. At her emergence, the vampires looked up.  
 "We have a little problem," Buffy said, smiling at them while they watched her hungrily. "See this is my turf now, so you're going to have to go. I've moved in and frankly, I just don't like you guys. I think it's the smell. Or maybe it's the whole you-want-to-suck-my-blood thing. I don't know."

 "Slayer," one of the vampires growled. Buffy looked taken aback.   
 "You've heard of me?" she said surprised. "You hear that honey, I'm famous" she called to Angel and he walked out from the bushed, followed by Ron, Hermione and Harry. 

The vampires attacked on their emergence. Three headed for Buffy, and she took them all one, taking one out with her cross bow right away and then moving into hand to hand combat with the other two. Two attacked Angel, and he swung his sword, beheading one and then moving onto the second. The final one advanced on Harry, Ron and Hermione. Ron held up the stake and it growled at them. The backed away slowly, until Ron tripped and fell sprawled over a tree root. The cross flew from his hand. The vampire grinned wickedly, and advanced on them, Ron pulled himself up and before the vampire could attack, Harry yelled 'impedimenta' and the vampire froze. After a few seconds, it was released from this. 'Petrificus Totalus' Ron yelled and the arms and legs of the vampire snapped to its sides and locked there, much to its surprise. The stepped forward gingerly and it snapped at them from its rigid position on the floor. Hermione raised her wand and murmured 'Stupefy' and the vampire was stunned.  
 "What is it we're supposed to do?" Ron asked, not wanting to move too close to the vampire. Harry looked over at Buffy, just in time to see her plunge her stake into one of the vampire's hearts, causing it to turn to dust.  He pulled out his stake, looked at it doubtfully.

 "Here goes," he said and plunged it into its chest. Nothing happened.  
 "I think you missed the heart," Hermione said, matter-of-factly. She pulled out the stake, looked at the vampire for a moment, and then plunged the stake in again, slightly to the right this time. Instantly, it turned to dust and crumbled onto the forest floor. They nodded, satisfied. Looking around, they saw that Angle and Buffy had just banded together to kill the last vampire, a particularly beefy one. Together, they moved as a team, aware of the other, yet still moving to attack the vampire. Angel staked the vampire and they turned away, anxiously coming to check on the others. 

 "Are you guys okay?" Angel asked, concerned. The three grinned broadly.  
 "We staked one," Harry said, gesturing to a pile of dust on the ground. "I did the impedimenta jinx, Ron did the full body lock jinx and Hermione stunned it, then staked it."  
 "It was bloody brilliant!" Ron said, his eyes shining. 


	20. Chapter 20

Wow 20 chapters and I'm still liking this story! Actually not too sure where I'm going with it right now, though I do have a vague idea. Keep reading and reviewing coz I haven't had any for ages and it makes me depressed!

**Chapter 20 **

Angel and Buffy kept Harry, Hermione and Ron in a group between them as they headed back up to school after their jubilant success. The three were still buzzing from their first slaying outing, and Angel and Buffy kept exchanging amused glances as the three exchanged stories excitedly.  
They reached the entrance hall, all glad to be inside and away from the darkness. The five of them began to walk back towards the Gryffindor Common room, Buffy and Angel hand in hand, when they were stopped, by the sudden appearance of Professor Snape.  
 "What are you doing leaving the castle at this time of night?" he demanded furiously. Buffy eyed him casually.  
 "Dumbledore sent us to break up a nest of vamps," she answered breezily. 

 "A Slayer and a vampire needed the assistance of three adolescent poor excuses for wizards?" Snape said, arching an eyebrow.   
 "They just bagged a vamp," Buffy informed him. "Staked it themselves." Snape glared at Buffy, but was apparently lost for words.  
 "Well, if that's all, we'll be off then," Buffy announced. "Better go see Dumbledore." The five pushed past Snape, leaving him standing in the corridor wearing a very ugly expression. Once they were out of earshot, Buffy addressed them.  
 "I think we'd better go and see Dumbledore actually," Buffy said thoughtfully. "Give him a mission update." They turned left, and travelled up to Dumbledore's office, opening the door at his agreement. He was alone, reading through some papers, with a delicate silver instrument puffing and whistling next to him.

 "Good evening," he said politely, putting his papers down. "I trust you were successful."

 "Seven vampires in the nest," Buffy told him. "Harry, Ron and Hermione staked one." Dumbledore raised his eyebrows.  
 "Very impressive," he commented.   
 "It is okay that we went, right Professor?" asked Harry, suddenly feeling they should've asked first.  
 "Don't make it a regular habit," Dumbledore said. "But I see no reason why the three of you shouldn't see Buffy and Angel at work. I expect it could be useful for your Defence Against the Dark Arts."

 "Professor, do you normally get this kind of vampire activity around Hogwarts?" Angel asked thoughtfully.  
 "No we don't," said Dumbledore bluntly. Buffy nodded.

 "I thought so," she said, "the nest, it wasn't a feeding nest. It was almost as if they were….."

 "Spies," Angel filled in.  
 "It's quite possible," Dumbledore said gravely. "Vampires have been known to align themselves with Lord Voldemort. He could provide them with food and power, that which they desired most."

 "I think we should make out patrol a regular thing," Buffy said authoritavely. "Keep an eye on the forest and the grounds; make sure nothing is watching that shouldn't be."

 "I agree totally," Dumbledore replied. "Report to me if anything turns up."

Angel walked Buffy and the others back to the Common Room, then left for his room, after kissing Buffy goodnight. The common room was deserted and so Buffy, Hermione, Ron and Harry headed for their respective dormitories. When Hermione and Buffy arrived in theirs, they found Lavender and Parvati waiting for them.  
 "Was that your boyfriend?" Lavender asked in awe. "He was gorgeous! How old is he, he looked about twenty!" Buffy and Hermione exchanged glances.  
 "Yeah, that's my boyfriend," Buffy said cautiously. "He's come to visit me, from America." She looked at Hermione again, and then busied herself with getting ready for bed, avoiding the questions that Lavender and Parvati threw at her. 

By the next morning, when Buffy had got ready for breakfast, the news of her American boyfriend had spread around Gryffindor and was beginning to spread to the other houses. Indeed, Buffy noticed Draco Malfoy whispering to his friends and throwing malicious looks at her. Buffy didn't care, and ate her breakfast nonchalantly.  
  



	21. Chapter 21

Hey new fic up, so if u like my stories then check it out! It's called 'Redemption.' I'm trying to go in a different direction this time, but we'll see how it goes. Anyway read and review! 

**Chapter 21**

Buffy finished her dinner and pushed back from the table, full up, and still apparently oblivious to the murmurs about her. All day people had been asking her whether the rumours were true, but Buffy had always merely smiled and carried on with what she was doing. Wild stories had been circulating, that Buffy was dating a werewolf, a troll and a hippogriff, but none so far about vampires.  
  
Later that evening, Buffy told Angel about this, as they lay spooned on his bed.   
 "You're famous in the Hogwarts halls," she teased him, playing with his fingers and fiddling with his claddagh ring. "They haven't figured out what you are yet though."  
 "I suppose its better that people know I exist," Nagel said distractedly. "Better than them running into me randomly." Buffy snuggled into him, and laid her head on his chest. Angel tipped her chin up with his finger and kissed her. With a groan, Buffy rolled until she was lying on top of him, and they kissed passionately, months apart making it all the more important. Angel placed his hands in the small of Buffy's back and she entwined hers in his hair, all the while kissing him and being kissed by him. They rolled over, and Buffy lay underneath Angel, trapped by his arms. She slid her hands under his shirt and ran her warm hands over his cold torso. She reached where his heartbeat would've been, then stopped, and pulled her head away, while he kept kissing her neck. 

 "Angel," she said softly. "Angel, we have to stop, we have to be in control." Reluctantly he pulled back, and his brown eyes met hers.  
 "You're right," he murmured, "But it's so difficult." He rolled of off Buffy, and she got up, smoothing her clothes and messy hair.  
 "How are we going to do this?" she said suddenly. "How can we be together and still be in control? The moment I see you, I want to be with you, I feel like I have to touch you and then I'll be complete." Nagel crossed the room to her, and took her hand.  
 "I know," he assured her. "I know. Maybe we shouldn't, maybe we should stop, before we get in too deep…."

 "No," Buffy said, barely controlling her emotions. "You can't not be there. I lost you once, and I had no choice. But we do this time. How can anyone in the world be like us, how can anyone love someone more than I love you?" She kissed him and her tears fell onto his face.   
  



	22. Chapter 22

Okay so it's been a while! Sorry I haven't updated this fic for a while, I started a new one called Redemption and I was writing that a lot, then I wanted to finish The Last Battle so it's been ages since I last updated this fic. But hopefully I will now be doing it regularly. 

Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter:

Sellser

Kyra2

Charmedfanatic3000

FunkyWitchOnFire

Brigurl

Msworld

Imp17

Becks89 – see I have updated this, so you update TYE

Manticore-gurl071134

Kick a** warrior woman 

Lady Katia – yeah sorry, when I get my ideas, I type really fast and hence the typos. I'll try to check this chapter!

**Chapter 22**

The next day Hermione and Ron found Buffy in the library leafing through some books.

"Doing some homework?" Hermione asked, sitting down. Buffy smiled at her.  
 "Don't get the stuff," Buffy said cheerfully. "No I'm just doing some…..research."   
 "Anything we can help with?" Ron volunteered, also sitting down. Buffy regarded them, she knew that Ron and Hermione knew about Angel being a vampire and that she had killed him but they didn't really know of the circumstances that had brought Buffy to Hogwarts. Buffy decided she could trust them. Buffy checked around to see that they were alone and then beckoned Hermione and Ron closer to her.  
 "Okay, I'm gonna level with you," Buffy said, closing her book. "You know that Angel is a vampire with a soul and that last year he lost it and I had to kill him right? Well it's a little more complicated than that. Angel used to be the worst vampire you can imagine. He was inhuman, he did things to people that I can't even describe. And he did things to me, things that were more hurtful than anything I've ever experienced, even dying. But with a soul, Angel is the man I love. I was so deep into him, I am so deep into him that I can't picture myself being happy with anyone else."  
 "I don't understand what have you got to 'level' with us about?" Hermione said frowning.  
 "Well, the reason Angel got his soul in the first place was because of a gypsy curse," Buffy explained. "He killed the most beloved daughter of a tribe and as revenge they placed a curse on him. He was cursed with a soul, to feel the remorse and guilt of his actions for the rest of forever. But they put a condition on it, if Angel ever experienced one moment of pure happiness, then he would lose his soul." Hermione's eyes were wide. Buffy swallowed hard.  
 "And so on the night of my seventeenth birthday, there was this whole thing with a demon known as the Judge," Buffy said. "It was a bad time and that night Angel and I…well we slept together. That was the moment's happiness he needed and he lost his soul. After that, it was like I didn't even know him, he was so changed. And he tried to end the world, to use a demon called the Acathla to suck the world into hell. I tried to stop him but it was too late, he'd already started the ritual, and the only way to end it was to kill him. We fought and just as I was about to do it, his soul returned. Willow had found the curse, and returned it to his body. I told him I loved him and then I killed him to save the world." Both Hermione's and Buffy's eyes were glassy with tears and Hermione reached for Buffy's hand which she squeezed comfortingly. Ron just sat staring at Buffy in shock. 

"Dumbledore said you'd been through a lot," Hermione whispered, shell-shocked. "But I had no idea." Buffy gave a half-smile.  
 "So what have the books got to do with it?" Ron said, finding his tongue and gesturing to the books. 

 "I was just looking really," Buffy said with a shrug. "I mean the curse still exists, Angel still could lose his soul. And although we can stay apart, it's still really dangerous."  
 "Then we can help you," Hermione said, pulling some of the books towards her and Ron did the same. "Looking for any spells that might give Angel a more permanent soul." Buffy grinned at them.  
 "Thanks guys," she said. 

****

A few hours later, their search had been fruitless. 

 "Don't give up hope," Hermione said determinedly. "We've got a whole library of books; there must be something on magic to do with tying souls." Buffy gave her a weak smile. 

The three of them walked down to the lunch hall where they sat down with Harry at the Gryffindor table.

 "How was training?" Hermione asked, referring to Harry's session of Occlumency with Dumbledore. Harry shrugged. 

 "What's up?" he asked a few moments later, seeing their less than happy faces. Ron and Hermione both looked at Buffy.

 "I filled them in on the Angel situation," Buffy said with a sigh. "The whole deal, everything that happened before I came here." Harry swallowed his mouthful quickly.  
 "Are you okay?" he asked concernedly. And Buffy nodded, throwing him a grateful smile.  
 "Which reminds me," she said, finishing her food and getting up. "I'm gonna go see Angel. See you at Potions." She walked off down the aisle. 

Harry looked at Hermione and Ron.  
 "I can't believe what she's been through," Hermione said, shaking her head. "No wonder Dumbledore didn't want us to question her."  
 "If that's what it takes to be a slayer," Ron said sadly. "Then I'm glad I'm a bloke."

 "I think that's just what it takes to be Buffy," Harry said desolately. "She had to kill Angel when he was everything to her, just to save the world. A world where her mother had thrown her out and where she had been expelled from school. She's incredibly strong to be able to that."  
 "The ultimate sacrifice," Hermione said and they all fell silent with their thoughts. 

****

"Hi," Buffy said pushing open the door to Angel's dungeon where she found him sitting on the floor, reading a book.  
 "Hey," he said, looking up at her. Buffy shuffled over and sat next to him on the floor.  
 "You okay?" she asked quietly and he nodded.  
 "Are we okay?" he asked. "I mean yesterday was kind of intense…" He trailed off and looked at the floor. 

 "We're okay," Buffy confirmed with a tired smile. "I'm looking into it, the whole permanent soul deal. Maybe I'll find a spell that will work things out for us." Angel looked slightly happier. Buffy snuggled under his arm and leaned against his chest.  
 "We'll be okay, even if I can't find something, right?" Buffy asked, suddenly anxious. "Because I can't lose you again, I really can't. It almost broke me the first time." Angel kissed the top of her head.  
 "I'm not gonna leave you again," he said. "Not while I can help it."  
 "Good," Buffy said. "Wanna see what I can do?" She pulled out her wand and demonstrated the few spells she had learnt, including turning a needle into a match and vice versa. Angel was suitably impressed. 

 "It's not much," Buffy admitted. "But one day I might be able to do proper stuff like Harry and the others do." 

 "Nice," Angel said absently. "Do we need to patrol tonight?" Buffy shrugged.  
 "We probably should," she decided. "I'll be back later." 

******

  
Short, but I'm just collecting my thoughts on where I'm going with this. Anyone who has any amazing, mind blowing ideas, mail them to me! 


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